12 of what number is 36?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking us to find a number such that 12 times this unknown number equals 36. We will solve for the unknown variable.
Answer
The unknown number is $3$.
Answer for screen readers
The unknown number is $3$.
Steps to Solve
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Set Up the Equation We start by defining the unknown number as $x$. According to the problem, we can set up the equation: $$ 12x = 36 $$
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Isolate the Variable To solve for $x$, we need to isolate it by dividing both sides of the equation by 12: $$ x = \frac{36}{12} $$
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Perform the Division Now, we conduct the division: $$ x = 3 $$
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Conclusion We've found the value of $x$, which represents the unknown number. So our solution is complete.
The unknown number is $3$.
More Information
In this problem, we found that if you have 12 times a certain number equal to 36, that number must be 3. This is a simple linear equation solving process, also highlighting the concept of isolating variables.
Tips
- Confusing multiplication with addition, leading to incorrect setup of the equation.
- Forgetting to divide both sides by the same number, which leads to wrong conclusions.
