SOLUTION: Find three consecutive even numbers whose sum is 1542. smaller number = middle number = larger number =

To find the middle number, divide 1542 by 3: you will get

    middle number =  = 514.


Then the smaller number is 512 and the larger number is 516.


ANSWER. The numbers are 512, 514, 516.

                Explanation


Let x be the middle number.

Then the numbers are  (x-2), x and (x+2).


Adding them, we get  (x-2) + x + (x+2) = 3x.


It gives us an equation 

    3x = 1542,

which we used above to find the middle number.