Question

Translate following words into an equation and then solve the equation "Five less than the product of a number and -2 is -13
A) The number is -12
B) The number is 4
C) The number is -5
D) The number is -8

Answer 1

Let's translate the given statement into an equation step by step.

The phrase "the product of a number and -2" can be expressed as \(-2x\), where \(x\) represents the unknown number.

The phrase "five less than the product" translates to the equation:
\[
-2x - 5 = -13
\]

Next, we'll solve this equation for \(x\).

1. Start by adding 5 to both sides of the equation:
\[
-2x - 5 + 5 = -13 + 5
\]
\[
-2x = -8
\]

2. Now, divide both sides by -2:
\[
x = \frac{-8}{-2}
\]
\[
x = 4
\]

Thus, the solution to the equation is \(x = 4\).

The answer is:
**B) The number is 4**.