the sum of three consercative even number is 72 find the number
Answers
Step-by-step explanation:
Let n = the first of three consecutive numbers.
Let n + 1 = the second consecutive number, and ...
Let n + 2 = the third consecutive number.
Since we're given that: "the sum of three consecutive numbers is 72," then we can now translate this statement mathematically into the following equation to be solved for the unknown number n:
n + (n + 1) + (n + 2) = 72
n + n + 1 + n + 2 = 72
Collecting like-terms on the left, we get:
3n + 3 = 72
3n + 3 - 3 = 72 - 3
3n + 0 = 69
3n = 69
(3n)/3 = 69/3
(3/3)n = 69/3
(1)n = 23
n = 23
Therefore, ,...
n + 1 = 23 + 1 = 24 and
n + 2 = 23 + 2 = 25
CHECK:
n + (n + 1) + (n + 2) = 72
23 + (24) + (25) = 72
23 + 24 + 25 = 72
72 = 72
Therefore, the three consecutive numbers whose sum is 72 are 23, 24, and 25, and 23 is obviously the smallest.