The sum of three consecutive integers is -144

Question

List the numbers from smallest to largest

Answer 1

Let "x" be “an integer”. Then the next consecutive integer is "x + 1" and the next one is “x+ 2”. So the sum is x + x + 1 + x + 2 and that sum equals -144:

x + x + 1 + x + 2 = -144

3x + 3 = -144

3x = -147

x = -147/3 = -49

So the 1st integer is -49, the 2nd is one more than that which is -48, and the 3rd is -47

Answer 2

If the first no. is x and they're consecutive, then the next two are x + 1 and x + 2.Their sum is -144, so the equation would be x + (x + 1) + (x+ 2) = -144 or 3x + 3 = -144 → 3x = -147, so x = -49

x + 1 = -48; x + 2 = -47. (Their sum checks out at -144). Be careful about listing smallest to largest as they're all negative nos!

Note: could have done x, x - 1 and x - 2 with same 3 results, just in a different order.