Question

Four less than three times a number is three more than two times the number. What is the number?

Answer 1

Hello!

Say that n is the number. There are two parts to this statement. The first part is "four less than three times a number", and the second is "is three more than two times the number. An expression fitting the first part will go on the left side of the equation, and the second part will go on the right.

Look at the first part. "Four less than three times a number". The first thing being done here is the three times a number. This would be 3n, as it is 3 times n. Now, there is the four less part. You would therefore have to subtract 4 from 3n, to get 3n - 4.

Now the second part. "Is three more than two times the number". The first thing being done here is the two times the number. That would be 2n. The next is "is three more than". If the other side is three more than 2n, then you must add 3 to 2n to make them equivalent. Therefore, it would be 2n + 3.

Now, set them equal to each other, and solve.

3n - 4 = 2n + 3

3n - 2n = 3 + 4

n = 7

Therefore, your number is 7.

Hope this helps!