Question

The sum of two consecutive integers is -39. List the two numbers from smallest to greatest

Answer 1

-20, -19

Explanation:

The average of the two numbers is -39/2 = -19.5. The smaller number is 0.5 less than this, -20, and the larger number is 0.5 more than -19.5, so is -19.

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Comment on the problem and solution

I find that working consecutive integer problems is often simplified by working with the average value of those integers:

• the average of two consecutive odd integers is the even integer between them
• the average of two consecutive even integers is the odd integer between them
• the average of an odd number of integers of the same type (consecutive, consecutive odd, consecutive even) is the middle one
• The average of an even number of consecutive integers is the "half" number between the middle two (as in this problem).