Consecutive integers

Question

Find four concecutive integers such that the opposite of the sum of the first two is 4 greater than the product of the fourth and -4

Answer 1

I like to rephrase math into plain English. Consecutive = in a row. Integers = whole numbers. Find 4 numbers in a row where the first two numbers = four more than the fourth number and -4 multiplied. 

Name the numbers. N, N+1, N+2, and N+3. Plug them into the equation. -1(N + N+1) = -4(N+3) + 4

Add anything inside the parentheses, then use the distributive property to get rid of the parentheses.

-1(2N+1) = -4(N+3) + 4

-2N - 1 = -4N - 12 + 4

 

Combine like terms

 

-2N - 1 = -4N - 8

 

Get all the variables on one side

 

-2N + 4N - 1 = -4N + 4N - 8

 

2N - 1 = -8

 

Get all the constants (regular numbers) to the other side

 

2N - 1 + 1 = -8 + 1

 

2N = -7

 

Get the variable by itself by "undoing" the operation. 2 is being multiplied by N. To get rid of the 2, divide by 2. Then divide by 2 on the other side.

 

2N/2 = -7/2

 

N = -3.5

 

Since this is not a whole number, I suspect there is information missing from the problem. Perhaps the question is looking for consecutive odd or even numbers?