Answer:
[tex] \frac {1}{3}x - 5 [/tex]
Step-by-step explanation:
Let the unknown number be x.
Translating the word problem into an algebraic expression, we have;
[tex] \frac {1}{3}x - 5 [/tex]
Or
[tex] \frac {x}{3} - 5 [/tex]
Simplifying further, we have;
[tex] \frac {x}{3} = 5 [/tex]
Cross-multiplying, we have;
x = 15
Therefore, the above algebraic expression is five less a third of a number.