218k views
3 votes
The product of the third and forth consecutive odd integers

User Josephap
by
8.1k points

1 Answer

5 votes

Start with any odd number `n`, multiply by `n + 4` for the third, then by `n + 6` for the fourth. Boom, product!

We can find the product of the third and fourth consecutive odd integers without listing them using a simple formula:

1. Choose any odd integer as a starting point. Let's call this integer `n`.

2. Recognize that the next odd integer in the sequence is `n + 2`.

3. The third consecutive odd integer is then `n + 4` (adding two more to `n + 2`).

4. Similarly, the fourth consecutive odd integer is `n + 6`.

5. Therefore, the product of the third and fourth odd integers is simply `(n + 4) * (n + 6)`.

This formula works because it captures the relationship between consecutive odd integers: each odd integer is 2 more than the previous one. By multiplying the third and fourth odd integers (`n + 4` and `n + 6`), we avoid the need to list out the entire sequence.

Question:

How can you find the product of the third and fourth consecutive odd integers without explicitly listing them?

User Conrad Jagger
by
7.7k points