Eighteen more than four times a number is equal to the difference between 172 and three times the number. What us the number?

Answer 1

18+4x=172-3x

add 3x to both sides

18+7x = 172

subtract 18 from both sides

7x = 172-18 = 154

divide by 7

x = 154/7 = 22

x=22 the number is 22

However you might have interpreted or intended "the difference between 172 and 3 times the number" to mean 3x-172

then the equation to solve for x is

18+4x = 3x-172

subtract 3x from both sides to get

18+x = -172

subtract 18 from both sides

x = -190

the "difference" might be ambiguous.

However, difference usually means a positive number

so x=22 is probably the correct answer