College

We appreciate your visit to The product of two consecutive negative integers is 600 What is the value of the lesser integer A 60 B 30 C 25 D 15. This page offers clear insights and highlights the essential aspects of the topic. Our goal is to provide a helpful and engaging learning experience. Explore the content and find the answers you need!

The product of two consecutive negative integers is 600. What is the value of the lesser integer?

A. -60
B. -30
C. -25
D. -15

Answer :

Let the two consecutive negative integers be [tex]$n$[/tex] and [tex]$n+1$[/tex]. Their product is given by

[tex]$$
n(n+1) = 600.
$$[/tex]

Expanding the left side, we obtain

[tex]$$
n^2 + n = 600.
$$[/tex]

To form a quadratic equation, subtract [tex]$600$[/tex] from both sides:

[tex]$$
n^2 + n - 600 = 0.
$$[/tex]

Now, we will solve this quadratic equation using the quadratic formula:

[tex]$$
n = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a},
$$[/tex]

where [tex]$a=1$[/tex], [tex]$b=1$[/tex], and [tex]$c=-600$[/tex]. First, compute the discriminant:

[tex]$$
\Delta = b^2 - 4ac = 1^2 - 4(1)(-600)= 1 + 2400 = 2401.
$$[/tex]

Taking the square root of [tex]$\Delta$[/tex],

[tex]$$
\sqrt{2401} = 49.
$$[/tex]

Now substitute into the quadratic formula:

[tex]$$
n = \frac{-1 \pm 49}{2}.
$$[/tex]

This gives two solutions:

1.
[tex]$$
n = \frac{-1 + 49}{2} = \frac{48}{2} = 24,
$$[/tex]

2.
[tex]$$
n = \frac{-1 - 49}{2} = \frac{-50}{2} = -25.
$$[/tex]

Since we are looking for two consecutive negative integers, we select the negative solution. Therefore, the two integers are [tex]$-25$[/tex] and [tex]$-24$[/tex].

Thus, the value of the lesser integer is

[tex]$$
\boxed{-25}.
$$[/tex]

Thanks for taking the time to read The product of two consecutive negative integers is 600 What is the value of the lesser integer A 60 B 30 C 25 D 15. We hope the insights shared have been valuable and enhanced your understanding of the topic. Don�t hesitate to browse our website for more informative and engaging content!

Rewritten by : Barada