Liam thinks of a number. He multiplies the number by 5 and then subtracts 60 from the result. His answer equals the number he started with. What was the number Liam started with? Show your working. You may get a mark.
Liam thinks of a number. He multiplies the number by 5 and then subtracts 60 from the result. His answer equals the number he started with. What was the number Liam started with? Show your working. You may get a mark
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Let’s denote the number Liam thinks of as ( x ). According to the problem, he multiplies this number by 5 and then subtracts 60, which equals the original number. We can write this as an equation:
[ 5x – 60 = x ]
Now, we can solve for ( x ):
1. First, add 60 to both sides of the equation:
[ 5x – 60 + 60 = x + 60 ]
[ 5x = x + 60 ]
2. Next, subtract ( x ) from both sides:
[ 5x – x = 60 ]
[ 4x = 60 ]
3. Now, divide both sides by 4 to solve for ( x ):
[ x = frac{60}{4} ]
[ x = 15 ]
So, the number Liam started with is ( 15 ).
Explanation: We set up an equation based on Liam’s operations and solved it step-by-step to find the original number. If you need more help, feel free to ask or check the extended services page for more in-depth assistance!