what is the sum of two consecutive even numbers
What is the sum of two consecutive even numbers?
Answer:
To solve this problem, we will first define what consecutive even numbers are and then find their sum step by step.
Step 1: Understand Consecutive Even Numbers
Consecutive even numbers are even numbers that follow one another in sequence. For example, 2 and 4, 8 and 10, 14 and 16, etc. In general, if you have an even number n
, the next consecutive even number is n + 2
. This is because even numbers differ by 2.
Step 2: Define the Even Numbers
Let’s define the two consecutive even numbers as:
- First even number: ( n )
- Second consecutive even number: ( n + 2 )
Here, n
is an even integer.
Step 3: Calculate the Sum
The sum of these two consecutive even numbers can be calculated as follows:
-
First, write down the expression for the sum:
\text{Sum} = n + (n + 2) -
Simplify the expression:
\text{Sum} = n + n + 2 -
Combine like terms:
\text{Sum} = 2n + 2
This expression, (2n + 2), represents the sum of two consecutive even numbers.
Step 4: Analyze the Result
Let’s analyze the expression (2n + 2):
- The term (2n) is always an even number because any number multiplied by 2 is even.
- The additional 2 is also even, so the whole expression (2n + 2) is indeed even.
- The result is a multiple of 2, specifically written as (2(n+1)), suggesting that the sum of two consecutive even numbers is always divisible by 2 and remains an even number.
Final Answer:
The sum of two consecutive even numbers is given by the formula (2n + 2), where n
is the first even number. This sum will always be even and is equal to 2(n + 1)
.