Integers! Help!

Question

The sum of three consecutive integers is twice the smallest integer. What is the smallest of the three integers?

Enter the integer in the box.

Answer 1

The sum of 3 consecutive integers------------is---------------------twice the smallest integer

--------x + (x+1) + (x+2)-------------------------equals--------------------2---times-------x

Rewrite the line above as 3x + 3 = 2x

3x + 3 - 2x = 2x - 2x

x + 3 = 0

Then: 

x = -3 

x+1 = -2

x+2 = -1

The sum of the 3 integers is then -6 which is indeed 2 times the smallest integer -3.

(Since all three integers are less than 0, the integer with the greatest absolute value

or distance from 0 on the number line is the smallest integer.)