text: Set up your integers like this:\n\nx\nx+1\nx+2\nx+3\n\nThen convert your word problem into an algebraic problem:\n\n"product of first and fourth" = x(x+3)\n\n"4 less than twice the first multiplied by the fourth" = 2x(x+3) - 4\n\nSo, your problem to solve is:\n\n x(x+3) = 2x(x+3) - 4\n\nx² + 3x = 2x² + 6x - 4\n\n0 = x² + 3x - 4\n\n0 = (x+4)(x-1)\n\nSo, x = 1 or -4\n\nTherefore your 4 consecutive integers are {1,2,3,4}\n\n{-4,-3,-2,-1} would've worked too, but your problem said four consecutive POSITIVE integers.\n\n.