If the integers are consecutive, then each one is 1 more than the one before it.
Three consecutive integers are x, x+1, and x+2 .
The sum of the least and the greatest is (x + x+2) = 2x + 2 .
You have said that this sum is 72. So 2x + 2 = 72
Subtract 2 from each side: 3x = 70
Divide each side by 2 : x = 35 .
The smallest is 'x' = 35
The next one is x+1 = 36
The next one is x+2 = 37 .
Check:
The sum of the least and greatest is (35 + 37) = 72. yay!
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A slightly slicker, more fun way to do this:
Three consecutive integers.
Call the middle one 'x'.
Then the smallest one is (x-1), and the biggest one is (x+1).
The sum of the smallest and the largest one is 72 .
(x-1) + (x+1) = 72
2x = 72
x = 36
(x-1) = 35
x = 36
(x+1) = 37 .
