Final answer:
To solve the problem, set up an equation by representing the given sentences in algebraic form. Then simplify the equation to isolate the variable, and solve for the unknown number.
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve the problem, we can set up an equation. Let's denote the unknown number as 'x'.
The sentence 'Four less than 5 times a number' can be written as 5x - 4.
The sentence '26 more than twice the number' can be written as 2x + 26.
So, we have the equation 5x - 4 = 2x + 26.
To isolate x, we can subtract 2x from both sides: 5x - 2x - 4 = 2x - 2x + 26.
Combining like terms, we get 3x - 4 = 26.
To isolate the x term, we can add 4 to both sides: 3x - 4 + 4 = 26 + 4.
Simplifying, we have 3x = 30.
Finally, we can divide both sides by 3 to solve for x: x = 10.