Five times the difference of twice a number and three decreased by the sum of the number and eight equals 13

Question

It has equations and numbers and also variables and combining like terms and it also has distributive property and coefficients 

Answer 1

Let's see if we can pick this apart...

 

"Five times the difference" = 5(x-y)

"difference of twice a number and three" = 2x-3

 

So we have:   5(2x-3)

 

"decreased by the sum of"  would be to subtract (a + b)

 

"the sum of the number and eight" (x + 8)

 

Now we have:  5(2x-3) - (x+8)= 13

 

Distribute the 5 into (2x-3)  and the "-" into (x+8)

 

10x - 15 - x - 8 = 13

 

Combine like terms:

 

9x - 23 = 13

 

Add 23 to both sides

 

9x = 36

 

Divide both sides by 9

 

x=4