The sum of three consecutive numbers is 72. What are the smallest of these number?

2 Answers
Jun 22, 2018

23

Explanation:

The key realization is that if we model our first number with x, then the next numbers can be modeled by x+1 and x+2.

The word sum tells us to add. So we can add these to get the new expression

x+(x+1)+(x+2)=72

This simplifies to

3x+3=72

Subtracting 3 from both sides gives us

3x=69

Lastly, dividing both sides by 3 gives us

x=23

The smallest of the three integers is modeled by the variable x, so this is our answer.

Hope this helps!

Jun 22, 2018

The numbers are 23, 24, and 25 and the smallest one is 23.

Explanation:

.

Let the three consecutive numbers be x, x+1, x+2.

x+x+1+x+2=72

3x+3=72

3x=69

x=23

The numbers are:

23, 24, and 25 and the smallest one is 23.