Question

There are two consecutive even numbers such that four times one less than the smaller is three times the greater number. What is the smaller number?

Answer 1

Think of your numbers as x and y. We'll say x is the smaller.
4(x-1) = 3y
and solve.

Answer 2

so solve for x?

Answer 3

x is the one you are looking to solve for to answer the question, yes.