Question

Sums of consecutive integers

Answer 1

The sum of 3 consecutive odd numbers is 117.What is the first number in this sequence?

Answer 2

31

Answer 3

@kaitlyn_nicole
\(31+33+35=99\ne 117\)
Perhaps a typo?

Answer 4

if I have 3 consecutive odd numbers, then they will be of the form

n, n+2, n+4

we want to add them and get 117, so

n+(n+2)+(n+4)=117

Answer 5

no no typo

Answer 6

he was not saying you have a typo @jamesr

Answer 7

o

Answer 8

but i dont understand this

Answer 9

its 37 sorry

Answer 10

ugh nvm

Answer 11

\[37+39+41=117\]

Answer 12

@kaitlyn_nicole
Excellent, now can you explain to @jamesr
how you got it so that he can solve similar problems?

Answer 13

you do n+(n+2)+(n+4) = 117
thats the equation, tbh i have a very weird way of doing things but i mainly predicted what n was and worked my way from there.

Answer 14

@kaitlyn_nicole
I know your way, "guess and check", that's the fastest possible way, but does not work in all cases. We still have to know the proper way to do things to fall back on.
Good job!

Answer 15

I think it's best to help with the set up, with lots of explanation, and let them finish.