Eight less than three times a number equals the number

Question

What is the number that the question is talking about

Answer 1

Hi Riley,

You can create an equation and solve it to find the number.

Let's use the variable x to represent the unknown number.

Then "eight less than three times the number" could be written as: 3x - 8

Next since this expression "equals the number", we can write the following equation:

3x - 8 = x

Now we can solve this equation using inverse operations and combining like terms:

3x - 8 = x

3x - x - 8 = x - x

2x - 8 = 0

2x - 8 + 8 = 0 + 8

2x = 8

2x/2 = 8/2

x = 4

The missing number is 4

To verify:

3•4 - 8 = 12 - 8 = 4

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Answer 2

3x - 8 = x

-8 = x - 3x

-8 = -2x

-8/-2 = x

x = 4