SOLUTION: Hi, i'm doing a worksheet from algebra 1 about problem solving using equations, but there is for questions asking pretty much the same thing that I do not get. The first one says,"

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Question 153876: Hi, i'm doing a worksheet from algebra 1 about problem solving using equations, but there is for questions asking pretty much the same thing that I do not get. The first one says," The sum of three consecutive integers is 279. Find the integers." I got this for the equation. x+y+z=279, but I have no clue if it's right, and if it is how to solve it.
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
You're on the right track, but you only need to use one variable. Consecutive integers are integers like 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. So algebraically, they follow the pattern x, x+1, x+2, etc


So this means that

x=first number

x+1=second number

x+2=third number


Since the "sum of three consecutive integers is 279", this means that


x%2B%28x%2B1%29%2B%28x%2B2%29=279


x%2Bx%2B1%2Bx%2B2=279 Remove the parenthesis


3x%2B3=279 Combine like terms on the left side.


3x=279-3 Subtract 3 from both sides.


3x=276 Combine like terms on the right side.


x=%28276%29%2F%283%29 Divide both sides by 3 to isolate x.


x=92 Reduce.


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Answer:

So the answer is x=92 which means that the first number is 92, the second number is 93, and the third number is 94



Check:

92+93+94=279 ... works