If you divide this mystery number by 4, add 8, and multiply by 3 you get 42. What is the mystery number?
To find the mystery number, we'll work through the steps in reverse. Let's call the mystery number "x".
1. "Multiply by 3" step: To undo this step and get x, we need to divide 42 by 3. So, 42 ÷ 3 = 14.
2. "Add 8" step: To undo this step and get the number before adding 8, we need to subtract 8 from 14. So, 14 - 8 = 6.
3. "Divide by 4" step: To undo this step and determine the number before dividing by 4, we need to multiply 6 by 4. So, 6 × 4 = 24.
So, the mystery number is 24.
(4x+8)3 = 42
4x+8 = 14
4x = 6
x = 3/2