Question

Eight less than the product of 9 and a number is 7. What is the number?

Answer 1

`x=15/9` or `5/3` or `1 2/3`

Explanation:

8 less than `=>` Subtract 8 from something: `... -8`.

• "Less than" indicates subtraction

Product of `9` and a number `=>` `9x`

• "Product" is multiplication, but what `9` is being multiplied by is unknown, so let `x` represent the unknown number

Is `7=>` = 7

• The whole thing equals 7

`9x-8=7`

Now, to find the unknown number, begin to isolate `x` by adding 8 on both sides of the equation

`9x=15`

Isolate x by dividing both sides of the equation by 9

`x=5/3` or `1 2/3`