Question

The sum of two consecutive negative integers is -171. What is the number closest to zero?

Answer 1

consecutive numbers are always 1 away from each other
3,4

so consecutive is represented by
x and x+1
so sum is -171
x+x+1=-171
add like terms
2x+1=-171
subtract 1 from both sides
2x=-172
divide both sides by 2
x=-86
subustitute
x+1=otehr number
x+1=-86+1=-85
answer is -85 and -86