Use a quadratic equation to find two consecutive even integers if their product is $168$
All I have so far is $xy=168$, and I know I need a second equation to make a quadratic formula. So how do you write "$2$ consecutive even integers" as a formula?
Answer: 12 and 14
Call the odd integer between the two even integers $n$. The even integers are then $n-1$ and $n+1$, so that $$168=(n-1)(n+1)=n^2-1$$ so that $n^2=169$ etc.
Intuitively, if $x$ and $y$ are close to each other, their product should be close to the square of their average. If you distort a square by shortening one side while enlarging the other, the area wouldn't change much:
$x$ and $y$ are consecutive even integers so their average is the odd number inbetween.
$\sqrt{168} \approx 12.961$
Which is close to $13$, an odd number. Now all you have to do is check if $12 * 14$ is the solution.