Question #36b7c

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Answer 1 · 2017-12-05T06:09:53

The number, $x$ $x$ , is equal to $- 2$ $-2$ .

Let’s break it down.

“Three times the sum of five times a number . . .”

So we’re multiplying $3$ $3$ by $5$ $5$ multiplied by a number, which we’ll call $x \Rightarrow 3 (5 x)$ $x\implies3(5x)$

“ . . . and $4$ $4$ ”

$5 x$ $5x$ is being added to $4$ $4$ , which we can represent as $3 (5 x + 4)$ $3(5x+4)$ .

“ . . . is $- 18$ $-18$ .”

That means the above expression equals $- 18$ $-18$ :

$3 (5 x + 4) = - 18$ $3(5x+4)=-18$

Now simply solve for $x$ $x$ by distributing the $3$ $3$ :

$\Rightarrow 15 x + 12 = - 18$ $\implies 15x+12=-18$

Subtracting $12$ $12$ from both sides:

$\Rightarrow 15 x = - 30$ $\implies 15x=-30$

Divide both sides by $15$ $15$ :

$x = - 2$ $x=-2$