three brothers have ages that are consecutive even integers. the product of the first and third boys' ages is 20 more than twice the second boy's age. find the age of each of the three boys.

Question

mertsj · Answer

How do you represent the three consecutive even integers?

mertsj · Answer

Are you there?

anonymous · Answer

i have no idea:(

mertsj · Answer

Didn't you even try to understand the last problem I did for you?

mertsj · Answer

No.  Animal.  Stop

anonymous · Answer

yea but this one is kinda confusing tho

mertsj · Answer

It is not.  It's the same thing.  It calls for 3 consecutive even integers.  How do you represent them?  Look at the last problem I did for you.

anonymous · Answer

iight

mertsj · Answer

If x is the first integer, what is the next even integer?

anonymous · Answer

x+2
x+4

mertsj · Answer

Yes.  the integers are x
x+2 and x+4

mertsj · Answer

The problem says to multiply the first and third integers so what would that be?

anonymous · Answer

so: x(x+4)=2(x+2)+20?

mertsj · Answer

Exactly.  Very good.  Why were you trying to get me to do this problem for you when you can do it perfectly well yourself?

anonymous · Answer

i was not sure that i was doing it right

mertsj · Answer

now use the distributive property, get it equal to 0 and factor it and solve it.

anonymous · Answer

got it: the first boy : 4
second boy: 6
third boy: 8

mertsj · Answer

Perfect!!  Good for you.

anonymous · Answer

thnx^.^

mertsj · Answer

yw