Question

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

Answer 1

X+(x+1)+(x+2)=72
3x=72-3
3x=69
X=23

23+24+25= 72

Answer 2

Alright, from what you are given you can write an equation:
"x" can represent the largest of the number
"x-1" can represent the second largest of the number, only one less than the largest
"x-2" can represent the smallest of the number
So we have the equation:
(x-2) + (x-1) + x = 72
Combine like terms:
3x - 3 = 72
3x = 75
x = 25
Remember that x is the largest number, which is 25
to find the smallest, we can plug 25 back into the "x-2" equation, which represent the smallest number
25 - 2 = 23
So the smallest number is 23