The product of a number and 3 is 5 less than the quotient of a number and 3. What is the number?

1 Answer
Sep 11, 2017

The number (n)(n) is -15/8158

Explanation:

Let's break this down using mathematical symbols:

The product of a number and 33:

We know that product means multiplication or times. A number is some unknown value which we can call a variable nn. So this statement translates to 3timesn3×n or 3n3n

is is an equilvent way to say equal to which can be represent using an == sign.

55 less than the quotient of a number and 33:

55 less than means some quantity minus 55 which we can express as "something"-5something5 for now. We also know that the quotient means division or divide(divide)(÷). A number, as we said before is some unknown quantity (or number) that we can call a variable nn that will be divided by 33. Given this, the statement translates to

n/3-5n35

Putting the entire statement together we get an equation that we can solve for nn

3n=n/3-53n=n35

So to solve for nn, we can start by multiplying 33 to both sides

3(3n)=3(n/3-5)3(3n)=3(n35)

9n=(3n)/3-159n=3n315

9n=n-159n=n15

Subtract nn from both sides

9n-n=cancel(n-n)-15

8n=-15

Divide 8 from both sides to solve for n

cancel8/cancel8n=-15/8

n=-15/8