SOLUTION: The sum of three consecutive numbers is �15. What is the SMALLEST number?

Question 517471: The sum of three consecutive numbers is �15. What is the SMALLEST number?
Found 2 solutions by richwmiller, bucky:
Answer by richwmiller(17219) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
x+x+1+x+2=-15
3x+3=-15
3x=-18
x=-6
x+1=-5
x+2=-4
check
-6-5-4=-15
ok
smallest is -6

Answer by bucky(2189) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Three consecutive integers can be represented as n and n+1 and n+2.
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The sum of these three numbers is:
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n + n+1 + n+2
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and if you collect the common terms you get:
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3n + 3
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This sum is to equal -15, so let's form the equation:
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3n + 3 = -15
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Get rid of the +3 on the left side by adding -3 to both sides. On the left side the +3 and the added -3 cancel each other and on the right side the -15 and -3 combine to -18. So the equation becomes:
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3n = -18
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solve for n by dividing both sides by 3 to get:
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n = -18/3 = -6
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So the three numbers of n, n+1, and n+2 are -6, -5, and -4. The smallest of these is -6 since it is the left-most number on the number line. The answer is -6.
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Hope this helps you to understand the problem.

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