What is the smallest number that can be written as the sum of 9, 10 and 11 consecutive positive integers?
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Let k be our required number.
Since k is a sum of 9 consecutive positive integers, it can be written as:
k = x + ( x + 1 ) + ( x + 2 ) + … + ( x + 8 ) = 9 x + 3 6
Similarly, as k is also a sum of 10 consecutive positive integers, it can be written as:
k = y + ( y + 1 ) + ( y + 2 ) + … + ( y + 9 ) = 1 0 y + 4 5
And as a sum of 11 consecutive positive integers:
k = z + ( z + 1 ) + ( z + 2 ) + … + ( z + 1 0 ) = 1 1 z + 5 5
Thus we get:
k = 9 x + 3 6 = 9 ( x + 4 )
k = 1 0 y + 4 5 = 5 ( 2 y + 9 )
k = 1 1 z + 5 5 = 1 1 ( z + 5 )
We see that k has factors 9 , 5 , 1 1 . Thus the smallest number that satisfies the condition to be k must be the smallest number that has all factors 9 , 5 , 1 1 which is l c m ( 9 , 5 , 1 1 ) = 4 9 5