Question

The sum of three consecutive even numbers is 162. What is the smallest of the three numbers?

Answer 1

52 is the smallest number among that three even numbers.

Explanation:

Keep in mind, that two consecutive even numbers have a difference of 2.

For example,
`10` is an even number. The even number right before

• Let
  `x` be the smallest of that three even numbers.
• The even number right after
  `x` would be
  `(x + 2)`.
• The even number right after
  `(x + 2)` would be
  `((x + 2) + 2)`.

The sum of these three numbers would be:

`x + (x+ 2) + ((x + 2)+ 2) = 3\,x + 6`.

The question states that this sum shall be equal to
`162`. In other words,

`3\, x + 6 = 162`.

Subtract
`6` from both sides of the equation:

`3\, x = 162 - 6`.

`3\, x = 156`.

Divide both sides by
`3` to obtain:

`x = 52`.

hence, the smallest of the three even numbers is 52.