document.write( "Question 517471: The sum of three consecutive numbers is –15. What is the SMALLEST number? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #344798 by bucky(2189)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Three consecutive integers can be represented as n and n+1 and n+2.
\n" ); document.write( ".
\n" ); document.write( "The sum of these three numbers is:
\n" ); document.write( ".
\n" ); document.write( "n + n+1 + n+2
\n" ); document.write( ".
\n" ); document.write( "and if you collect the common terms you get:
\n" ); document.write( ".
\n" ); document.write( "3n + 3
\n" ); document.write( ".
\n" ); document.write( "This sum is to equal -15, so let's form the equation:
\n" ); document.write( ".
\n" ); document.write( "3n + 3 = -15
\n" ); document.write( ".
\n" ); document.write( "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:
\n" ); document.write( ".
\n" ); document.write( "3n = -18
\n" ); document.write( ".
\n" ); document.write( "solve for n by dividing both sides by 3 to get:
\n" ); document.write( ".
\n" ); document.write( "n = -18/3 = -6
\n" ); document.write( ".
\n" ); document.write( "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.
\n" ); document.write( ".
\n" ); document.write( "Hope this helps you to understand the problem.
\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "
\n" );