R Nine more than four times a number is the same as one less than twice the number. Find the number.

Let's denote the unknown number as \( x \). According to the problem, we set up the equation: \[ 4x + 9 = 2x - 1. \] To solve for \( x \), we can rearrange the equation: 1. Subtract \( 2x \) from both sides: \[ 4x - 2x + 9 = -1, \] which simplifies to \[ 2x + 9 = -1. \] 2. Next, subtract 9 from both sides: \[ 2x = -1 - 9, \] thus \[ 2x = -10. \] 3. Finally, divide both sides by 2: \[ x = -5. \] So, the number is -5! Now, here's the fun part: finding a number that surprisingly challenges our expectations! Negative numbers might seem bizarre in real-life applications, but they pop up all over the place, especially in finance (think debts). And if you're ever grappling with similar equations, remember to keep your operations balanced and check each step—losing signs can lead to wild discrepancies!