The sum of two consecutive natural numbers is 79. Find the two numbers. [Hint: If x is one of the numbers, then the consecutive number is x + 1.]

Answer

To solve the problem of finding two consecutive natural numbers whose sum is 79, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Define the Variables**:
Let the first consecutive natural number be \( x \). Since the numbers are consecutive, the next number will be \( x + 1 \).

2. **Set Up the Equation**:
According to the problem, the sum of these two numbers is 79. Therefore, we can write the equation:
\[ x + (x + 1) = 79 \]

3. **Simplify the Equation**:
Combine like terms in the equation:
\[ 2x + 1 = 79 \]

4. **Isolate the Variable**:
To solve for \( x \), first subtract 1 from both sides of the equation:
\[ 2x = 79 - 1 \]
\[ 2x = 78 \]

5. **Solve for \( x \)**:
Now, divide both sides by 2 to find the value of \( x \):
\[ x = \frac{78}{2} \]
\[ x = 39 \]

6. **Find the Consecutive Number**:
Now that we have \( x \), we can find the second consecutive number:
\[ x + 1 = 39 + 1 = 40 \]

7. **Conclusion**:
The two consecutive natural numbers are 39 and 40.

### Final Answer:
The two consecutive natural numbers are **39 and 40**.

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