Question

Write an equation for the following phrase. Let the variable q represent the unknown number in the following phrase. "The sum of one third of a number and nine is equal to one less than the number."

Answer 1

Let's do it by parts:

The sum of one third of a number and nine:

$\frac{1}{3}q+9$

is equal to one less than the number:

$q-1$

Then the equation is:

$\frac{1}{3}q+9=q-1$