Question

Find two consecutive odd integers whose sum is 72

Answer 1

Here is how you would do it:

x + (x+2) = 72     ----->     x is your first integer, and x+2 is your second integer. It isn't x+1 because that would mean that you're adding an odd and an even integer. So you would have to add 2 to your first integer to get two consecutive integers. Let's continue:

2x + 2 = 72

2x = 70

x = 35     ----->    So, 35 would be your first integer and 37 (which came from 35 + 2) would be your next consecutive integer.