If 3 times a number is decreased by 5, the result is 7. Find the number.

First, represent the number that is unknown with a variable.

A variable is a letter that represents any number.

So let's use n to represent our number.

Now read through the problem.

If 3 times a number, that's 3n, is decreased by 5, - 5, the result is 7, = 7.

So we have the equation 3n - 5 = 7.

To solve for n, we must first isolate the term

containing n which in this problem is 3n.

Since 5 is being subtracted from 3n, we add 5 to

both sides of the equation to isolate the 3n.

This leaves us with 3n = 12.

To finish things off, just divide both sides

of the equation by 3 to get n = 4.

So the number is 4.