A set of 3 consecutive even integers sums to –228. What is the greatest of these integers?

Answer 1

To guarantee you have an even integer, take any integer "x" and multiply it by 2. That makes it 2x. The next even integer after that is 2x + 2 and the one after that is 2x + 4.

So (2x) + (2x + 2) + (2x + 4) = -228

6x + 6 = -228

6x = -234

x = -39

So the first integer is 2(-39) = -78. The next one is -78 + 2 or -76. And the last one is -78 + 4 or -74

The greatest of these is -74

Answer 2

n-1 + n + n+1 = -228

n=-76

n+1=-75 (which is the largest of the 3)