Question

3 less than the quotient of a number and 5 is -7

Answer 1

Answer:   The number is -20

Step-by-step explanation:

Take each part of the sentence and write what it is telling us:

3 less than the quotient of a number and 5 is -7

The quotient of a number and 5 is (X/5), where X is the "number."

3 less than  is (X/5) - 3

is -7  is = -7

Therefore:

3 less than the quotient of a number and 5 is -7 is:  (X/5) - 3 = -7

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(X/5) - 3 = -7

(X/5)  = -4

X = -20

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See if this works:

3 less than the quotient of -20 and 5 is -7

(-20/5) = -4

Three kless than -4 is -7:  It works