Question

The sum of three consecutive integers is 39. What is the least integer?

Answer 1

$x + x+1 + x+2 = 39$ where x is the number.

$= 3x+3 = 39$

$= 3x+3=3 = 39-3$ Isolate x

$=3x = 36$

$=3x/3 = 36/3$ DIvide for x

$x = 12$

Therefore, the smallest number is 12.

Answer 2

12 + 13 + 14 = 39

So least integer = 12