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A number divided by 3 is -11. What is the number?

User Jagd
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1 Answer

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Call the number x for now. It is a placeholder for the answer.

"A number divided by 3" translates to x/3 where the slash means division.

"A number divided by 3 is -11" means we have this equation:
x/3 = -11

To solve for x, we multiply both sides by 3. Why multiply? Because we want to undo the division operation done to x. This will get x all by itself.

Doing so leads to...
x/3 = -11
3*(x/3) = 3*(-11)
x = -33

So the unknown number is -33

As a check
x/3 = -11
-33/3 = -11
-11 = -11
so the answer is confirmed
User Pmerrell
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