Question

The product of two consecutive negative integers is 600. What is the value of the lesser integer?

Answer 1

Prime factors of 600 are 2*2*2*3*5*5

2*2*2*3 = 24
and 5*5 = 25

so the 2 negative integers are -24 and -25

and lesser integer is -25.

Answer 2

Two consecutive negative integers are n and n+1. We are told that the product of these two integers is 600 so:

n(n+1)=600

n^2+n=600

n^2+n-600=0

n^2+25n-24n-600=0

n(n+25)-24(n+25)=0

(n-24)(n+25)=0, since we are told that n is negative...

n=-25

(...-25(-24)=600 so -25 is the value of the lesser integer)