Question

Aiden wrote a riddle: Five less than 1/5 times a number is same as the sum of the number and 1/3. Find the number

Answer 1

To solve this riddle, first we have to put it into an algebraic expression, letting the variable n represent the unknown number we are looking for.

1/5n - 5 = n + 1/3

Next, we have to add 5 to both sides, to cancel out the -5 on the left side of the equation.

1/5n = n + 5 1/3

Then, we have to subtract n from both sides of the equation to cancel out the positive n on the right side of the equation.

-4/5n = 5 1/3

Finally, we have to divide both sides by -4/5 in order to get our variable n alone on the left side by canceling out its coefficient.

n = - 6 2/3

Therefore, the number in Aiden's riddle is -6 2/3 or -20/3.