The sum of three consecutive numbers is 51 . What is the smallest of these numbers? Let $n$ represent the smallest number of the set. Equation or Inequality: The smallest of these numbers is

Step 1 ：Let the smallest number be n, then the three consecutive numbers are n, n+1, and n+2. The sum of these numbers is 51: \(n + (n+1) + (n+2) = 51\)

Step 2 ：Combine like terms: \(3n + 3 = 51\)

Step 3 ：Subtract 3 from both sides: \(3n = 48\)

Step 4 ：Divide both sides by 3: \(n = 16\)

Step 5 ：\(\boxed{16}\) is the smallest of these numbers.