document.write( "Question 531416: a number is divided by 3. then 20 is subtracted. if the result is then multiplied by 5, the product is 40. what is the number? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #350450 by Edwin McCravy(20063) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
a number is divided by 3,
\n" ); document.write( "

\r\n" );
document.write( "Let x = \"a number\", so that says\r\n" );
document.write( "

\n" ); document.write( "x is divided by 3
\n" ); document.write( "

\r\n" );
document.write( "And so we write that as\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "

\n" ); document.write( "then 20 is subtracted.
\n" ); document.write( "

\r\n" );
document.write( "That means that we are to \"minus off\" 20, like this\r\n" );
document.write( " - 20\r\n" );
document.write( "

\n" ); document.write( "if the result is then multiplied by 5,
\n" ); document.write( "

\r\n" );
document.write( "We put parentheses areound that and put a 5 in front\r\n" );
document.write( "to multiply it by 5\r\n" );
document.write( "5( - 20)\r\n" );
document.write( "

\n" ); document.write( "the product is 40.
\n" ); document.write( "

\r\n" );
document.write( "So we put = 40 after that:\r\n" );
document.write( "5( - 20) = 40\r\n" );
document.write( "We divide the coefficients on both sides by 5\r\n" );
document.write( "( - 20) = \r\n" );
document.write( " - 20 = 8\r\n" );
document.write( "We clear of the fraction by multiplying every term by 3\r\n" );
document.write( "3· - 3·20 = 3·8\r\n" );
document.write( "    x - 60 = 24\r\n" );
document.write( "We add 60 to both sides:\r\n" );
document.write( "         x = 84\r\n" );
document.write( "Edwin

\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "

\n" );