Questions: Five less than the quotient of a number and 3 is -7

Solution Steps

Let the unknown number be \( x \).

The problem states "five less than the quotient of a number and 3 is -7." This can be translated into the equation:

\[ \frac{x}{3} - 5 = -7 \]

First, add 5 to both sides of the equation to isolate the term with \( x \):

\[ \frac{x}{3} = -7 + 5 \]

Simplify the right side:

\[ \frac{x}{3} = -2 \]

Next, multiply both sides by 3 to solve for \( x \):

\[ x = -2 \times 3 \]

Simplify:

\[ x = -6 \]

Final Answer