Number problems and Consecutive

Question

Set up the equation for the following word problem and solve the equation. Let x be the unknown number. -84 times a number minus 5 is equal to -28 less than the number

Answer 1

-84x-5=x-(-28) seems to be the equivalent

or -84x-5=x+28

85x=-33

x=-33/85

But there are 2 possible ambiguities in the question.

You have "-28 less than the number" That's literally 28 more than the number. It's possible that negative sign was intended to mean 28 less than. IF so, it's a typo.

Then there's the "-84 times a number minus 5". That literally means multiply first, then subtract the 5

as in (-84)(x)-5. But if whoever phrased the question was a little sloppy, maybe they meant -84(x-5), subtracting the 5 first, then multiplying by -84.

I get suspicious when the answer is an odd looking fraction. But suspicions are probably wrong, as working it the other ways also gives equally odd looking fractions as the answer