document.write( "Question 495794: Three times a number is the same as four less than the number, find the number \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #336194 by kingme18(98) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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Let's call \"the number\" x.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Three times a number is the same as four less than the number.
\n" ); document.write( "To take this apart:
\n" ); document.write( "Three times a number ( $\"3x\"$ )
\n" ); document.write( "is the same as (=)
\n" ); document.write( "four less than the number $\"x-4\"$ . This is the tricky part. A lot of people want to do $\"4-x\"$ because they see 4 first in the problem. The key is the word \"than\". It tells you to switch the order. 4 less THAN x means $\"x-4\"$ .\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So we have $\"3x=x-4\"$ . To solve:
\n" ); document.write( "Subtract x on both sides: $\"2x=-4\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Divide by 2 on both sides: $\"x=-2\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Our number should be -2.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Let's check:
\n" ); document.write( "Three times a number is the same as four less than the number
\n" ); document.write( " $\"3%2A-2=-6\"$ and $\"-2-4=-6\"$ . I get -6 from both, and -6 is the same as -6, so it checks. Our number is, indeed, -2. \n" ); document.write( "

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