Question

The sum of two consecutive numbers is -11. Find the two numbers.
A. - 6 and - 5
B. - 11 and - 1
C. 6 and 5
D. 11 and 1

Answer 1

Hint – To find the numbers we express them as random variables, compute their sum and equate it to the given sum. On solving the equation formed we get the values of the consecutive numbers.

Complete step-by-step answer:

Given data, the sum of two consecutive numbers is -11.
Let us consider the first number to be a variable ‘a’, therefore the consecutive number of a is ‘a + 1’.
Now according to the given,
a + a + 1 = -11
⟹2a + 1 = -11
⟹2a = -12
⟹a = -$\dfrac{{12}}{2}$
⟹a = -6, hence a + 1 = -6 + 1 = -5.

Hence the two consecutive numbers are -6 and -5.

Hence Option A is the correct answer.

Note – In order to solve this type of problems the key is to consider the unknown numbers as variables in such a way that they help in simplification of the given relation. This problem can also be solved by directly verifying the options, adding all the terms in each option, whichever gives a sum of -11 is our solution.