Question

The product of two consecutive odd numbers is 10 more then the square of the smaller number, what is the smaller number??

Please show your work, pretty please.

Answer 1

x(x+2) = x^2+10

Answer 2

x^2+2x=x^2 +10
2x=10
x=5

Answer 3

x^2 + 2x = x^2 + 10
solve
2x = 10
x=5

Answer 4

would you mind explaining how you got that equation from the question

Answer 5

for example, where are the consecutive odd numbers?

Answer 6

ok
let x = the smaller odd number
then next odd numer is 2 more that is x+2
multiply them together gives x(x+2)
this is 10 more than smaller number x that is x+10
so x(x+2) = x + 10

solving this gives x = 5

5 is smaller number and 7 is the next number

we can check if we are right by caculating
;

5^2 = 25
5*7 = 35 - which is 10 more than x^2 - ok

Answer 7

I multiplied out the x(x+2) and got x^2+2x???

Answer 8

yep that ok - solve the equation as follows
x^2 + 2x = x^2 + 10
x^2 - x^2 + 2x = 10
2x = 10
x = 5

Answer 9

how did x+10 become x^2+10?

Answer 10

oh sorry that my fault i should have put x^2 + 10 :- 10 more than the square of the smaller number - that was a typo

Answer 11

no no, you have been brilliant

Answer 12

ty - but we all make typos on occassions!!