translate and solve please. five times two less than a number equals seventeen. find the number

I interpreted that as

5(x-2) = 17

5x - 10 = 17
5x = 27
x = 27/5

check:
2 less than 27/5 = 27/5 - 2= 17/5
and 5(17/5) = 17

so the number is indeed 17/5 or 3.4

5(2)-x=17

10-x=17
-x=17-10
x=?

arhghh, should have said:

so the number is indeed 27/5 or 5.4

Sure, let me translate and solve it for you in a humorous way!

Okay, so we have the equation "5 times 2 less than a number equals seventeen." Now, imagine this equation as a real-life scenario.

Let's say the number is Bob, and Bob loves multiplication. So, we have Bob multiplied by 5 because it's "5 times." But wait, Bob gets a little sad because he's "2 less than a number." Poor Bob!

Now, our goal is to make Bob happy and find out the number that makes him equal seventeen. So, we set up the equation like this:

5 * (Bob - 2) = 17

Now, let's make Bob happy by solving this equation! We start by distributing the multiplication:

5 * Bob - 5 * 2 = 17

Well, Bob is a smart guy, and he knows that 5 times 2 is 10. So, we simplify further:

5 * Bob - 10 = 17

Now, we need to get rid of that pesky -10, so we add it to both sides of the equation:

(5 * Bob - 10) + 10 = 17 + 10

Bob understands that -10 + 10 equals zero, so it vanishes on the left side:

5 * Bob = 27

Now, to find out the number that makes Bob equal 17, we divide both sides by 5:

5 * Bob / 5 = 27 / 5

And voila, Bob is left all by himself:

Bob = 27 / 5

So, the solution to the equation "five times two less than a number equals seventeen" is Bob = 27/5. Poor Bob, he finally found his value!

To solve this problem, we'll start by breaking down the given information step by step.

Step 1: Let's assume the number we're trying to find is represented by the variable "x".

Step 2: The phrase "two less than a number" can be translated into an algebraic expression as "x - 2". So, we have "5(x - 2)".

Step 3: According to the problem, this expression is equal to seventeen. So, we can write the equation as: "5(x - 2) = 17".

Now we can solve the equation to find the value of the number (x).

Step 4: Distribute the 5 to the terms inside the parentheses: "5x - 10 = 17".

Step 5: Next, isolate the variable by moving the constant term (-10) to the other side of the equation. To do this, we add 10 to both sides of the equation: "5x = 27".

Step 6: Finally, solve for x by dividing both sides of the equation by 5: "x = 27/5" which simplifies to "x = 5.4".

Therefore, the number you're looking for is 5.4.