<PRE><B>Question 719990</B>
Using three consecutive odd integers, such that if three times the second is subtracted from the third, the difference is negative forty-eight.
 Find the first integer.
Let x = the first integer
then
(x+2) = the 2nd integer
and
(x+4) = the 3rd. 
:
Write an equation for exactly what it says
(x+4) - 3(x+2) = -48
x + 4 - 3x - 6 = -48 
x - 3x = -48 - 4 + 6
-2x = -46
2x = 46; multiplied both sides by -1
x = 46/2
x = 23 is the first odd integer
:
:
See if that checks out.
27 - 3(25) = 
27 - 75 = -48</PRE>