Question

The sum of three consecutive integers is 5 more than the smallest of the integers. Find the integers.

Answer 1

Let one number be x.

Then, the next two consecutive numbers will be x + 1 and x + 2.

Sum of these three numbers = x + (x + 1) + (x + 2) = 3x + 3

According to the question,

3x + 3 = x + 5

⇒ 3x – x = 5 – 3  ...[Transposing x to LHS and 3 to RHS]

⇒ 2x = 2

⇒ `(2x)/2 = 2/2`  ...[Dividing both sides by 2]

⇒ x = 1

∴ Hence, the numbers are 1, 1 + 1, 1 + 2 i.e., 1, 2, 3.