the sum of 3 consecutive integers is -96. what is the largest integers?

Question

need help

Answer 1

Hi Kasandra

The problem was done algebraically already. Here is an arithmetic solution without algebra.

If the sum of 3 consecutive integers is -96, then the mean is -96/3.

-96/3=-32, the middle integer

add 1 to -32 to get -31 and subtract 1 from -32 to get -33

the integers are -33, -32, -31, the largest being -31

Answer 2

Let's say that the smallest integer is x. That would mean that the next integer, because it is consecutive, is x+1, and the final integer is x+1. So, x+x+1+x+2=-96. If we combine like terms, we get 3x+3=-96. Subtract 3 from both sides, we get 3x=-99. Divide both sides by 3 and we get x=-33, so this is the first integer. The largest integer is x+2, or -31.