Six times a number is fifty-four

Question

Three more than seven times a number is nine more than five times a number

Answer 1

Let X=the number

Then 7x+3=5x+9

Solve for X

Isolate variables to the left and constants to the right 

7x-5x=9-3

Simplify

2x=6

Divide both sides my 2

x=3 Answer

Answer 2

Translate English into math: 7x + 3 = 5x + 9

subtract 5x + 3 from each side: 2x = 6

divide by 2: x = 3

 

Plug this answer back into the original problem to make sre it is correct!