Let's break down the phrase step-by-step:
- "the product of 3 and a number squared" can be represented as \(3x^2\), where \(x\) is the numbered variable.
- "minus the product of four and that same number" translates to \(-4x\).
- "plus 5" at the end indicates we should add 5.
Combining all these components together, the expression becomes:
\[ 3x^2 - 4x + 5 \]
So, the equivalent expression is \(3x^2 - 4x + 5\).