3.

The sum of two consecutive integers is 37. Write an equation that models this situation and find the values of the two integers.

1 answer

Let the first integer be \( x \). Since we are looking for two consecutive integers, the second integer can be expressed as \( x + 1 \).

According to the problem, the sum of these two integers is 37. We can write the equation as follows:

\[ x + (x + 1) = 37 \]

Simplifying the equation:

\[ 2x + 1 = 37 \]

Next, we subtract 1 from both sides:

\[ 2x = 36 \]

Now, divide both sides by 2:

\[ x = 18 \]

Thus, the first integer is \( 18 \), and the second integer, being consecutive, is:

\[ x + 1 = 19 \]

Therefore, the two consecutive integers are 18 and 19.