Question

The product page numbers on two facing pages of a book is 272. Find the page numbers.

Answer 1

272 = n(n+1)
n^2 + n - 272 = 0

Can you find n?

Answer 2

understand?

Answer 3

I got -17,16

Answer 4

Let's call the page number on the left n, and the one on the right n + 1
Then we can express them as the above equation.

Answer 5

-17 is negative, so reject it
16 is positive, so your two page numbers are 16 and 17

Answer 6

oh ok...

Answer 7

1. xy=272
2. x=y-1 , where y is the next page #

substitute the value of x on the 1st equation
and solve for y

(y-1)y= 272

y^2 -y -272 =0
(y-17)(y+16)=0

y=17 or y= -16 (disregard negative value)
x = 17-1 = 16