Question

Mary is thinking of three consecutive even integers, x, y, and z. Three times the value of z exceeds half the value of x by 37. What is the value of x?

Answer 1

x = 10

Explanation:

You know z = x+4, so ...

3z -x/2 = 37 . . . . . . . . the given relation

3(x +4) -x/2 = 37 . . . . substituting for z

5/2x +12 = 37 . . . . . . .eliminate parentheses and simplify

5/2x = 25 . . . . . . . . . . subtract 12

x = 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . multiply by 2/5

_____

Check

3z = 3·14 = 42

x/2 = 10/2 = 5

42 exceeds 5 by 37 . . . . true