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Definition

Consecutive Integers

Consecutive integers are integers that follow one another in order with no gaps, each exactly one unit apart. Examples include:

1,2,3,41, 2, 3, 4

10,9,8,7-10, -9, -8, -7

150,151,152,153150, 151, 152, 153

Because each integer in the sequence is one more than the one before it, consecutive integers can be represented algebraically using a single variable. If the first integer is nn, then:

  • nn = 1st integer
  • n+1n + 1 = 2nd consecutive integer
  • n+2n + 2 = 3rd consecutive integer

and so on. This pattern follows from the observation that the next consecutive integer after n+1n + 1 is one more than n+1n + 1, which equals n+1+1=n+2n + 1 + 1 = n + 2. Representing consecutive integers through a single variable is particularly useful in number problems, because it converts verbal descriptions like "three consecutive integers whose sum is 2424" into a single-variable equation that can be solved with standard algebraic techniques.

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Updated 2026-04-21

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