The sum of 3 consecutive even numbers is 78 . What is the second number in this sequence?

Let the three consecutive even numbers be represented as x, x + 2, and x + 4. According to the problem, their sum is: x + (x + 2) + (x + 4) = 78. This simplifies to 3x + 6 = 78. Next, subtract 6 from both sides: 3x = 72. Dividing by 3 gives you: x = 24. So, the three consecutive even numbers are 24, 26, and 28. This means the second number in the sequence is **26**! Did you know that even numbers are all those divisible by 2, which means they share some interesting properties in mathematics? For example, the sum of two even numbers is always even—so you could form pairs and play around with their sums and differences! If you're ever stuck with a similar problem again, don't forget to define your variables clearly and write down the equations step-by-step. Many people tend to skip steps and confuse themselves, leading to mistakes in basic arithmetic!