Question

Twice the difference of a number and 2 is equal to three times the sum of the number and 3. Find the number. The number is nothing.

Answer 1

The number is -13.

In order to find this, we first need to make each part of the statement into a mathematical statement.

Twice the difference of a number and 2.

2(x - 2)

Three times the sum of the number and 3

3(x + 3)

Now we can set them equal to each other and solve.

2(x - 2) = 3(x + 3) ----> Distribute

2x - 4 = 3x + 9 ------> Subtract 2x from both sides

-4 = x + 9 -----> Subtract 9 from both sides

-13 = x