Answer:
The smallest of the integers is 7
Explanation:
Let the integers be x, y and z
From the question, the integers are consecutive odd integers.
Hence,
If the smallest of the integers is x and the largest is z, then we can write that,
x + 2 = y and
y + 2 = z
Then, x + 2 + 2 = z
∴ x + 4 = z ....... (1)
From the question, four times the smallest decreased by 5 is the same as the largest increased by 12, that is
4x -5 = z + 12 ....... (2)
Put the value of z = x + 4 in equation (1) into equation (2),
We then get
4x - 5 = x + 4 + 12
4x - x = 4 + 12 + 5
3x = 21
x = 7
Hence, the smallest of the integers is 7
The other integers are 9 and 11 ( y= 9 and z = 11)