To find the number, we can set up an equation based on the information given. Let’s denote the unknown number as x.
The phrase “three times a number” can be expressed as 3x. When it says “eight less than three times a number,” we can write that as 3x – 8.
The equation according to the problem statement will be:
3x – 8 = x
Now, we can solve for x. First, let’s move x to the left side by subtracting x from both sides:
3x – x – 8 = 0
This simplifies to:
2x – 8 = 0
Next, we add 8 to both sides:
2x = 8
Now, divide both sides by 2 to isolate x:
x = 4
So, the unknown number is 4.
To verify, we can substitute x = 4 back into the original expression:
Three times the number: 3 * 4 = 12
Then subtracting 8:
12 – 8 = 4
This confirms our solution is correct, and indeed, the number is 4.