Mary is thinking of a mystery number, she reduces it by 15% then subtracts by 5. The result is 29, determine the mystery number.
Let's assume the mystery number is x.
First, Mary reduces it by 15%:
x - 0.15x
Then, she subtracts 5:
(x - 0.15x) - 5
Finally, this result is equal to 29:
(x - 0.15x) - 5 = 29
Simplifying the expression:
0.85x - 5 = 29
Adding 5 to both sides:
0.85x = 34
Dividing both sides by 0.85:
x = 34 / 0.85
Therefore, the mystery number is x = 40.