If 3 times a number minus 2 equals 13, what is the number?

1 Answer
Mar 20, 2018

The number is #5#

Explanation:

If we take the number as #x#, your sum looks like;

#(3 * x) - 2 = 13#

We can move the #x# to the other side of the equation by adding #2# to both sides. The new equation will look like this;

#(3 * x) - 2 + 2 = 13 + 2#

This equals;

#3 * x = 15#

We then want to know that the actual value of #x# would have to be. Therefore, we divide both sides by #3#.

#(3 * x)/3 = 15/3#

This equals;

#x = 5#

Therefore, the number is #5#.