SOLUTION: My problem is Numerical Expressions I get most of it. My problem is this question one-fourth of a number decreased by 5 is -2. Find the number. I don't get it.

Algebra.Com
Question 829015: My problem is Numerical Expressions I get most of it. My problem is this question
one-fourth of a number decreased by 5 is -2. Find the number.
I don't get it.

Answer by josgarithmetic(39633)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The description is slightly unclear, causing the trouble.

This is a try.
The number is n, (or any variable you want).
One-fourth of a number? ;
One-fourth of a NUMBER DECREASED BY 5?
Or is it this:
One-fourth of a number ----- Decreased by 5? .
They are not the same, and the imprecise wording is the trouble.

The exercise author probably means the second one, (1/4)n-5, but still the description itself could use/needs some work.

This part, "...is -2", means =-2
(Rendering will not work if the symbolic phrasing is an incomplete sentence)

RELATED QUESTIONS

Here is my problem: Find a number such that if 5 times the number is decreased by 14,... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)
M'kay, so, here's my question: Write an inequality for the following problem. One-fourth (answered by swincher4391)
I just typed this question but realized I put a typo in my email. The question is: If (answered by pedjajov)
What are the numerical expression of... 5 decreased by the product of a number and 3? (answered by Maths68)
I am currently working on my summer math packet and I am stuck on this word problem "If 5 (answered by mananth,MathLover1)
In class we are adding and subtracting rational expressions with unlike denominators. It... (answered by mananth)
one fourth of a number decreased by 10 is... (answered by stanbon)
If you double a number and then add 12, you get one-half of the original number. What is... (answered by checkley77)
Hi, I am having a problem with question. How do I solve this problem? The sum of four... (answered by Alwayscheerful)