Question

if you add 4 to me and then subtract 5, you get 3

Answer 1

let x be the unknown number

Answer 2

so if you add 4 to this unknown number, you get x+4

Answer 3

if you then subtract off 5, you get x+4 - 5

Answer 4

this is all equal to 3, so

x+4 - 5 = 3