Question

the sum of three consecutive integers is 78. What is the value of the smallest of the three integers?

Answer 1

Answer:

Step-by-step explanation:

Consecutive integers just means like one after another.

This means that:

First number = x

Second number = x + 1

Third number = x + 2

They've told us that the sum of 3 consecutive integers is 78.

First number + second number + third number = 78

Sub the equations we wrote into the formula above and we get:

x + x + 1 + x + 2 = 78

Gather the like terms.

3x + 3 = 78

Subtract 3 from both sides.

3x = 78-3 = 75

Divide both sides by 3 to solve for x.

x = 75/3 = 25

If you look at the very beginning we said that the first number = x.

Therefore it is 25.

Second number = x + 1 = 26

Third number = x + 2 = 27