Find three consecutive even numbers whose sum is 96?

Let me show you how I like to do problems like this:

- - If I just needed three numbers that add up to 96, the easiest way

to do it would be to find 1/3 of 96. That's 32, so the three numbers

could be 32, 32, and 32.

- - If you want three consecutive even numbers, just take 2 away from

one of those numbers, and add it on to a different one.

Now you have 30, 32, and 34, and you haven't changed their sum.

So consectuve even numbers

we know that one even number plus 2 = another even number so we want to find 3 consecutive even numbers that add up to 96 or

x is the first number

x+2 is the second number

x+4 is the third number

x+x+2+x+4=96

3x+6=96

subtract 6 from both sides

3x=90

divide both sides by 3

x=30

the first number is 30

x+2=32=second number

x+4=34=third number

the numbers are 30,32,34