The larger of two numbers is 23. if three times the number is 5 more than eight times the smaller, find the smaller number.

Answer 1

Many students have difficulty translating an inequation into an equation.

Sometimes it helps to rephrase the statement into something like ...

"three times the number is more than 8 times the smaller by 5"

3(23) > 8x by 5

so add 5 to the smaller side and it becomes an "equation"
3(23) = 8x+5
69-5 = 8x
x = 8

the smaller number is 8