It is necessary to write the given situation in an algebraic way.
If x is the number of uniforms and each uniform costs $38, then, the cost of x uniforms is 38x. Moreover, the school payed $717 in basketball equipment.
The total cost was $2,769. You can write the previous situation as follow:
717 + 38x = 2769
solve the previous equation for x:
717 + 38x = 2,769 subtract 717 both sides
38x = 2,769 - 717
38x = 2,052 divide by 38 both sides
x = 2,052/38
x = 54
Hence, the number of uniforms the school bought was 54 uniforms