12. Three consecutive natural numbers are such that the square of the first increased by the product of other two gives 154. Find the numbers.
12. Three consecutive natural numbers are such that the square of the first increased by the product of other two gives 154. Find the numbers.

Solution:-

let us assume the three consecutive natural number be $P – 1$, $P$ and $P + 1$

As per the condition given in the question, \[{{\left( P-1 \right)}^{2}}~+\text{ }\left( P \right)\text{ }\left( P\text{ }+\text{ }1 \right)\text{ }=\text{ }154\]

Then,

\[{{\left( P-1 \right)}^{2}}~+\text{ }{{P}^{2}}~+\text{ }P\text{ }=\text{ }154\]

We know that,

\[{{\left( a-b \right)}^{2}}~=\text{ }{{a}^{2}}-2ab\text{ }+\text{ }{{b}^{2}}\]

\[{{P}^{2}}-2P\text{ }+\text{ }1\text{ }+\text{ }{{P}^{2}}~+\text{ }P\text{ }=\text{ }154\]

\[2{{P}^{2}}-P\text{ }+\text{ }1\text{ }=\text{ }154\]

By transposing we get,

\[2{{P}^{2}}-P\text{ }+\text{ }1-154\text{ }=\text{ }0\]

\[2{{P}^{2}}-P-153\text{ }=\text{ }0\]

\[2{{P}^{2}}-18P-17P-153\text{ }=\text{ }0\]

Take out common in each terms,

$2P(P – 9) – 17(P – 9) = 0$

$(P – 9) (2P – 17) = 0$

Equate both to zero,

$P – 9 = 0$

$2P – 17 = 0$

$P = 9$

$2P = 17$

$P = 9$

$P = 17/2$

So, $P = 9$ … [because $9$ is a natural number]

Then,

$P = 9$

$P – 1 = 9 – 1 = 8$

$P + 1 = 9 + 1= 10$

Therefore, the three consecutive natural number are $8$, $9$ and $10$.