Question 1043866
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"Pick any number. Add three to your number. Double your result. Add four to that number. 
Divide the result by 2. Finally subtract your original number. Your result is 5."
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<pre>
"Pick any number.                                            x

Add three to your number.                                    x + 3

Double your result.                                          2x + 6

Add four to that number.                                     2x + 10

Divide the result by 2.                                      x + 5

Finally subtract your original number. Your result is 5."    (x + 5) - x = 5.
</pre>

The age of this joking problem is three thousand years (at least).


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<U>Comment from student</U>: How does this work with any starting number?
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<U>My response</U>: My written text shows you that it works with any given number "x".