document.write( "Question 126673: Find three consecutive odd integers whose sum is three times the third integer \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #92800 by bucky(2189) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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Consecutive odd integers are 2 digits apart (think of 3 and 5 and 7 as being consecutive
\n" ); document.write( "odd integers). So if we let x represent the first odd integer, the next consecutive odd
\n" ); document.write( "integer is x + 2 and the next consecutive odd integer after x + 2 is x + 4.
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\n" ); document.write( "Then three times the third integer is 3*(x + 4) which multiplies out to 3x + 12.
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\n" ); document.write( "The problem tells you that the sum of the three consecutive odd integers is 3 times the
\n" ); document.write( "third integer. In equation form this can be written as:
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\n" ); document.write( "x + (x + 2) + (x + 4) = 3x + 12
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\n" ); document.write( "On the left side of this equation combine the like terms to get:
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\n" ); document.write( "3x + 6 = 3x + 12
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\n" ); document.write( "What happens if you subtract 3x from both sides? This reduces the \"equation\" to
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\n" ); document.write( "6 = 12
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\n" ); document.write( "And that obviously cannot be and is not true. This tells you that there is no value of
\n" ); document.write( "x that will satisfy this problem. That further means that there are no 3 consecutive
\n" ); document.write( "odd integers that add together to give you a sum equal to 3 times the third of the three
\n" ); document.write( "consecutive odd integers.
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\n" ); document.write( "Hope this helps you to understand why you were having a problem with this exercise.
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