document.write( "Question 1180329: What are three consecutive even integers if the sum of their squares is 1208? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #809979 by greenestamps(13200)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! \n" ); document.write( "The good solution from tutor @ikleyn is a good example of how choosing the 3 consecutive even integers as x-2, x, and x+2 can make a problem much easier to solve using formal algebra than calling them x, x+2, and x+4. \n" ); document.write( "Keep that in mind when you solve other problems about consecutive integers. \n" ); document.write( "The same concept can be used to solve the problem informally in a very short time. \n" ); document.write( "The three integers are close together, so the sum of the squares of the three integers is close to 3 times the square of the middle one. \n" ); document.write( "1208 divided by 3 is a bit more than 400, and 400 is 20^2. \n" ); document.write( "So the numbers should be 18, 20, and 22. Perform quick calculations to verify that 18^2+20^2+22^2=1208. \n" ); document.write( "Then remember that since the problem is about the sum of the squares of the three integers, another solution is -18, -20, and -22. \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |