First way: without using algebra (but your teacher won't accept it!). There are 3 of them so they must be right around 1/3 of -36, which is -12, so the integers are -12, 2 less and 2 more than -12, so the answer is -14, -12, and -10, and the smallest is -14. Using algebra (which your teacher will accept): n = smallest even integer n+2 = middle-sized integer n+4 = largest even integer n + (n+2) + (n+4) = -36 Solve that for n. You'll get -14 Edwin