document.write( "Question 1099657: The odd integers are arranged into sets, each succeeding set continuing from the previous, and containing one more number as follows: {1},{3,5},{7,9,11},{13,15,17,19},... what is the sum of the numbers in the set that has last number 1259? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #714121 by greenestamps(13200)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! \n" ); document.write( "The numbers of numbers in the successive sets are \n" ); document.write( "1, 2, 3, 4, ... \n" ); document.write( "Let's think about the process for finding the answer by answering a similar but much simpler problem: find the sum of the numbers in the set that has last number 19. \n" ); document.write( "We can see the answer in the statement of the problem; however, let's see how we can get the answer in a way that we can use to find the answer to the given problem. \n" ); document.write( "The \"first\" set contains 1 odd integer; the \"second\" contains 2; the third 3; and the fourth 4. \n" ); document.write( "1+2+3+4 = 10, and 19 is the 10th odd integer, so 19 is the last number in the 4th set. \n" ); document.write( "Then, since there are 4 numbers in that set, the four numbers in the set are 19, 17, 15, and 13. \n" ); document.write( "It is easy to see in this case that the sum of those numbers is 64. But let's find that sum by a method that we can use for the given problem, where we can't see the whole set of numbers at once. \n" ); document.write( "We know at this point that 19 is the largest number in the 4th set. The smallest number in the 4th set is 19 minus the common difference 2 three times, so the smallest number in the set is \n" ); document.write( "Now let's apply that same analysis to the given problem. \n" ); document.write( "The number 1259 is the 630th odd positive integer; and we are told that it is the last number in its set. \n" ); document.write( "So we need to find when 1+2+3+4+...+n is equal to 630. \n" ); document.write( "The sum of the integers from 1 to n is \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "By one method or another, we find n=35. \n" ); document.write( "That means 1259 is the last number in the 35th set. \n" ); document.write( "Using the method we developed earlier, the first number in the 35th set is \n" ); document.write( "Then the average of the numbers in the set is \n" ); document.write( "And then the sum of the numbers in that set is \n" ); document.write( "ANSWER: The sum of the numbers in the set with last number 1259 is 42,875. \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |