Question 257577
I think the answer you were given by Sheila is not fully correct.  The answer given to you by Stan H. is correct.  Please use Stan's answer.

If your homework is to just write the algebraic expression, then yes, the answer from Sheila is correct.


If you have to SOLVE for the answer, then Sheila's answer is NOT correct.  Please look at Stan's answer, but if you want to see where Sheila went wrong, just look at the following:


You were given this by Sheila:


First,write the equation 
X+X+1+x+2=423 <--- This is correct.
Next combine similar terms 
3x+3=423  <---- This is correct.
3x=423-3  <------ This is correct.
3x=420   <----- This is correct.
Divide all through out by 3 <---- This is correct.
3x/3=420/3 <---- This is correct.



The answer is 120  <<<------ THIS IS NOT CORRECT.



{{{420/3}}} = 140.   (420/3 DOES NOT equal 120)



Now if your FIRST number is indeed 140, then the next consecutive number will be 141 and the next consecutive number will be 142.   Do these three numbers add to 423?  Let's check:


140
141
142
_______
423   YES.


So to reiterate, Sheila gave you a good answer in terms of setting up the problem and maybe that was all you had to do for the work.  However, if you had to solve the problem, the answer you were given was incorrect.  Again, please follow Stan's answer.  His explanation was  excellent and will likely make very good sense to you.


I hope this helps you. :-)