Final answer:
To translate the student's statement into an equation, let n be the unknown number, then 5 = 5n + 16. Solving for n gives n = -2.2.
Step-by-step explanation:
To translate the statement "Five is sixteen more than five times a number" into an equation, we begin by identifying the variable for the unknown number. Let's use n to represent the number. The statement says that five times this number (5n), when increased by sixteen (+16), is equal to five (5). The equation representing this statement is:
5 = 5n + 16
To solve for n, you would normally isolate the variable on one side of the equation:
5n = 5 - 16
5n = -11
n = -11/5
n = -2.2
Therefore, the number we are looking for is -2.2.