document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1031151>Question 1031151</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Choose 3 consecutive integers.  Square the middle integer, then multiply the other 2 integers. Subtract the product from the squared number.  The answer is 1.  Why does this work?  Is there an equation for this?<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2, 3, 4<BR>\n" );
document.write( "9-8 = 1<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Thank you </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #645876 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=LinnW><B>LinnW(1048)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-12.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=LinnW><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=LinnW><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=645876\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> set x = the first integer<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x + 1 = the second integer<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x + 2 = the third integer<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Below we see squaring the middle then subtracting the product of the other two<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(x + 1)^2 - x(x + 2) ?= 1<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x^2 + 2x + 1 - ( x^2 + 2x )<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x^2 + 2x + 1 - x^2 - 2x<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Simplifying we have 1<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Does this help?<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The above works for any 3 consecutive integers.<BR>\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );