The sum of three consecutive odd numbers is 153 what is the smallest of the three numbers?

-- combine like terms
-- subtract 6 from both sides
-- divide by 3


So the numbers are 49, (49+2) and (49+4)
I.e. 49, 51, and 53
But the question only wants the smallest (i.e. the first of the consecutive odd numbers).

The smallest of the 3 consecutive odd numbers that sum to 153 is 49