Question 230197: what are 3 consecutive numbers when the product of the smallest two numbers is 28 less than the square of the largest number? Answer by solver91311(24713) (Show Source):
I have to presume that you mean "3 consecutive integers" because "3 consecutive numbers" doesn't make any sense unless the numbers are at least restricted to the integers.
Let represent the smallest integer. Then the next consecutive integer is , and the next one after that is .
The product of the smallest two is then:
28 less than the square of the largest is:
These two quantities are equal so:
Solve for to find the smallest number, then count to get the other two.
