document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=230197>Question 230197</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> what are 3 consecutive numbers when the product of the smallest two numbers is 28 less than the square of the largest number? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #170486 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=solver91311><B>solver91311(24713)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=solver91311><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/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=solver91311><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=170486\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <font face=\"Garamond\" size=\"+2\">\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I have to presume that you mean \"3 consecutive <i>integers</i>\" because \"3 consecutive numbers\" doesn't make any sense unless the numbers are at least restricted to the integers.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Let <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=\"/cgi-bin/rendertex.cgi?\Large x\"> represent the smallest integer.  Then the next consecutive integer is <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=\"/cgi-bin/rendertex.cgi?\Large x + 1\">, and the next one after that is <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=\"/cgi-bin/rendertex.cgi?\Large (x + 1) + 1\ =\ x + 2\">.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "The product of the smallest two is then:  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=\"/cgi-bin/rendertex.cgi?\Large x(x+1)\ =\ x^2 + x\">\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "28 less than the square of the largest is:  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=\"/cgi-bin/rendertex.cgi?\Large (x+2)^2-28\ =\ x^2+4x+4-28\ =\ x^2+4x-24\">\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "These two quantities are equal so:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=\"/cgi-bin/rendertex.cgi?\LARGE \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ x^2\ +\ 4x\ -\ 24\ =\ x^2\ +\ x\">\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Solve for <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=\"/cgi-bin/rendertex.cgi?\Large x\"> to find the smallest number, then count to get the other two.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "John<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=\"/cgi-bin/rendertex.cgi?\LARGE e^{i\pi} + 1 = 0\"><BR>\n" );
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