Let's denote the unknown number as \( x \).
According to the statement "Five less than the product of a number and -2 is -13", we can translate this into the following equation:
\[ -2x - 5 = -13 \]
Now, let's solve the equation step by step.
- Add 5 to both sides:
\[ -2x - 5 + 5 = -13 + 5 \] \[ -2x = -8 \]
- Now, divide both sides by -2:
\[ x = \frac{-8}{-2} \] \[ x = 4 \]
Thus, the solution is that the number is \( 4 \).
Final answer: The number is 4.