document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=188302>Question 188302</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The product of two consecutive numbers is 72. Find the smaller of the numbers </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #141168 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><B>jim_thompson5910(35256)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=141168\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> I'm assuming that you want the numbers to be positive.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "\"The product of two consecutive numbers is 72\" translates to <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%28x%2B1%29=72 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%28x%2B1%29=72\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%28x%2B1%29=72 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%28x%2B1%29=72\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Start with the given equation.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E2%2Bx=72 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E2%2Bx=72\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Distribute\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E2%2Bx-72=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E2%2Bx-72=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Subtract 72 from both sides.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Notice we have a quadratic equation in the form of <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=ax%5E2%2Bbx%2Bc ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"ax%5E2%2Bbx%2Bc\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > where <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a=1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a=1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b=1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b=1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, and <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=c=-72 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"c=-72\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Let's use the quadratic formula to solve for x\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=+%28-b+%2B-+sqrt%28+b%5E2-4ac+%29%29%2F%282a%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=+%28-b+%2B-+sqrt%28+b%5E2-4ac+%29%29%2F%282a%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Start with the quadratic formula\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=+%28-%281%29+%2B-+sqrt%28+%281%29%5E2-4%281%29%28-72%29+%29%29%2F%282%281%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=+%28-%281%29+%2B-+sqrt%28+%281%29%5E2-4%281%29%28-72%29+%29%29%2F%282%281%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Plug in  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a=1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a=1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b=1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b=1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, and <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=c=-72 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"c=-72\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=+%28-1+%2B-+sqrt%28+1-4%281%29%28-72%29+%29%29%2F%282%281%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=+%28-1+%2B-+sqrt%28+1-4%281%29%28-72%29+%29%29%2F%282%281%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Square <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >. \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=+%28-1+%2B-+sqrt%28+1--288+%29%29%2F%282%281%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=+%28-1+%2B-+sqrt%28+1--288+%29%29%2F%282%281%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Multiply <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=4%281%29%28-72%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"4%281%29%28-72%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-288 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-288\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=+%28-1+%2B-+sqrt%28+1%2B288+%29%29%2F%282%281%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=+%28-1+%2B-+sqrt%28+1%2B288+%29%29%2F%282%281%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Rewrite <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=sqrt%281--288%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"sqrt%281--288%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > as <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=sqrt%281%2B288%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"sqrt%281%2B288%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=+%28-1+%2B-+sqrt%28+289+%29%29%2F%282%281%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=+%28-1+%2B-+sqrt%28+289+%29%29%2F%282%281%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Add <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=288 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"288\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=289 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"289\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=+%28-1+%2B-+sqrt%28+289+%29%29%2F%282%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=+%28-1+%2B-+sqrt%28+289+%29%29%2F%282%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Multiply <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > and <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >. \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=+%28-1+%2B-+17%29%2F%282%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=+%28-1+%2B-+17%29%2F%282%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Take the square root of <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=289 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"289\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=17 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"17\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >. \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=+%28-1+%2B+17%29%2F%282%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=+%28-1+%2B+17%29%2F%282%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > or <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=+%28-1+-+17%29%2F%282%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=+%28-1+-+17%29%2F%282%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Break up the expression. \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=+%2816%29%2F%282%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=+%2816%29%2F%282%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > or <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=++%28-18%29%2F%282%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=++%28-18%29%2F%282%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Combine like terms. \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=+8 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=+8\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > or <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=+-9 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=+-9\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Simplify. \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So the answers are <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=+8 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=+8\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > or <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=+-9 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=+-9\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "However, we only want the positive numbers. So the only answer is <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x=8 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x=8\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "This means that the smaller number is 8. </SPAN>\n" );
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