Find two consecutive integers whose sum is 72?

Answer 1

There are no two consecutive integers that add up to 72. You can prove it this way:

Let our numbers be represented by the variables "a" and "b". We are told:

a = b + 1

a + b = 72

So we can use substitution to solve for either variable:

(b + 1) + b = 72

2b + 1 = 72

2b = 71

b = 35.5

But 35.5 is not an integer, so this condition can not be met.