To express the phrase "Ten less than twice a number is equal to at least 52" as an inequality using the variable \( x \), we can break it down as follows:
- "Twice a number" can be written as \( 2x \).
- "Ten less than twice a number" translates to \( 2x - 10 \).
- "is equal to at least 52" means the expression is greater than or equal to 52, which can be represented by the symbol \( \geq \).
Putting it all together, we can write the inequality as:
\[ 2x - 10 \geq 52 \]
This is the inequality that can be used to solve the problem, aligning with the requirement to have the \( x \) term come first.