Question

The 5th of 9 consecutive whole numbers whose sum is 153 is?

Answer 1

Start by calling the first whole number n. Then the next whole number after that is n + 1, the one after that is n + 2, etc. The nine consecutive whole numbers add up to 153, so

n + (n + 1) + (n + 2) + (n + 3) + (n + 4) + (n + 5) + (n + 6) + (n + 7) + (n + 8) = 153

Combine like terms and simplify.

9n + 36 = 153

9n = 117

n = 13 The first number is 13.

The 5th number, n + 4, has the value 13 + 4 = 17.

Answer 2

We can start this problem by finding out what the lowest consecutive number's value is (x). Since consecutive numbers are numbers that are 1 apart from each other, the sum of 9 consecutive numbers would look like

x + (x+1) + (x+2) + (x+3) + (x+4) + (x+5) + (x+6) + (x+7) + (x+8)

Since we know that they equal 153,

x + (x+1) + (x+2) + (x+3) + (x+4) + (x+5) + (x+6) + (x+7) + (x+8) = 153

Now we combine like terms

9x + 36 = 153

Simplify

9x = 117

x = 13

Now, we need to find what the 5th consecutive number is equal to. The fifth consecutive number is (x+4), so 13 + 4 is 17, meaning that the 5th of 9 consecutive numbers that add up to 153 is 17.