Question

if the product of two consecutive numbers is 72 and the smaller number is

Answer 1

smaller value is 8
larger value is 9

Answer 2

let x be first number
x+1 will be the second number
x(x+1) will be their product.
so x(x+1)=72
${x}^{2} + x = 72$
x^2+x-72=0
by factorisation
x^2+9x-8x-72=0
take x as common
x(x+9)-8(x+9)=0
(x-8)(x+9)=0
so x-8=0
x=8
and x+9=0
x=-9
as x cannot be negative
x= 8
so first number is 8
and second number is x+1 =8+1=9
so the numbers are 8,9