If are three consecutive positive integers such that is an integer, What is the value of ?
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Notice that
y x + z y + x z + x y + z x + y z = ( x + y + z ) ( x 1 + y 1 + z 1 ) − 3
so this expression must be an integer if ( x + y + z ) ( x 1 + y 1 + z 1 ) is an integer. Assume that x , y and z are k − 1 , k , and k + 1 in some order. Then combining denominators and simplifying, we get that
( k − 1 + k + k + 1 ) ( k − 1 1 + k 1 + k + 1 1 )
= 3 k ( k 3 − k 3 k 2 − 1 )
= k 2 − 1 9 k 2 − 3
= 9 + k 2 − 1 6
must be an integer or k 2 − 1 6 must be an integer. Checking the positive divisors of 6 and noting k must be positive, we get that k 2 − 1 = 3 or k = 2 . x + y + z = 3 k = 6 .