Question

If 16 is added to one-third of a number, the result is three times the number. What is the number?

Answer 1

First set up the equation based on the description.

$\frac{1}{3}$ x + 16 = 3x

Use subtraction to get the "x"s on one side of the equation. You can next subtract $\frac{1}{3}$ x from both sides.

16 = $\frac{8}{3}$ x

Now you can multiply both sides of the equation by $\frac{3}{8}$  to solve for x

x = 6