If the product of two consecutive
positive odd integers is 255, what
is the larger integer
Answers
Answer: Consecutive odd integers are 2 apart from each other. So if one odd integer is x then the next one is 2 more: x+2.
So to say "The product of two consecutive positive odd integers is 255" as a number sentence we would use:
%28x%29%2A%28x%2B2%29+=+255
To solve this we will start by simplifying:
x%5E2+%2B+2x+=+255
This is a quadratic equation. So we will get one side equal to zero (by subtracting 255 from each side):
x%5E2+%2B+2x+-+255+=+0
Now we either factor the left side and use the Zero Product Property or use the Quadratic Formula. I'll factor:
%28x+-+15%29%28x%2B17%29+=+0
According to the Zero Product Property this product can be zero only if one of the factors is zero. So:
x-15+=+0 or x%2B17+=+0
Solving these we get:
x+=+15 or x+=+-17
Rmemeber, that x represents the first of the two consecutive odd integers. x+2 represnts the second. So we get two pairs of consecutive odd integers:
15 and 17 (when x = 15)
and
-17 and -15 (when x = -17)
Since the problem doesn't exclude negative numbers both pairs of numbers are solutions to the problem.