Question

The sum of three consecutive odd numbers is 183. What is the smallest of the three numbers?

Answer 1

`59`

Explanation:

Of we consider the integers `0,1,2,3,4,...` then a generic odd number would be represented as `2n+1` where `n` is an integer.

So the three consecutive numbers can be written as:

`2n+1, 2n+3, 2n+5`

So then:

`2n+1 + 2n+3 + 2n+5 = 183`
`:. 6n+9 = 183`
`:. 6n = 174`
`:. n = 29 => 2n+1=59`

So the three numbers are: `59`, `61` and `63` whose sum is `183`