Example 102.

If 28 less than five times a certain number is 232. What is the number?

5 x-28 Subtraction is built backwards, multiply the unknown by 5
5 x-28=232 Is translates to equals
underline +28 \quad +28 Add 28 to both sides
\underline {5x=260} The variable is multiplied by 5
5 \quad \quad 5 Divide both sides by 5
x=52 The number is 52.


This same idea can be extended to a more involved problem as shown in the next example.