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The sum of two consecutive integers is 26. What are the integers? Question does not specify even or odd consecutive integers. Please HELP!

User Shamika
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1 Answer

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x is some integer

x+1 is the next consecutive integer

Consecutive integers are numbers like {5,6,7} or {11,12,13}. They are numbers that follow one after another.

We sum x and x+1 getting 26, which means,

x+(x+1) = 26

2x+1 = 26

2x = 26-1

2x = 25

x = 25/2

x = 12.5

But we run into a problem here. We made x an integer, but 12.5 is not an integer. So there are no integer solutions to the first equation

So there are no consecutive integers that add to 26.

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If your teacher said "consecutive even integers", then the equation would be

x+(x+2) = 26

2x+2 = 26

2x = 26-2

2x = 24

x = 24/2

x = 12

And we can see that x = 12 and x+2 = 12+2 = 14 add to 12+14 = 26

But again this only applies if your teacher wrote "consecutive even integers". With that "even" left out, there are no solutions.

User Stefan Rogin
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