Nine more than four times a number is the same as one less than twice the number. What is the number?

1 Answer
Feb 2, 2016

The number is -5.

Explanation:

Let #n# represent a number. Nine more than four times a number, is the same thing as writing #4n + 9#. "More than" means add, and the "times" means multiply. "Same" means equal. One less than twice the number is the same thing as writing #2n - 1#. "Less than" means subtract.

So:

#4n + 9 = 2n - 1#
#2n = - 10#
#n = -5#