Mateo read the thermometer this evening. The temperature was 52 degrees. This temperature was 3 degrees less than the temperature in the afternoon. The afternoon temperature was 21 degrees greater than the temperature in the morning. What was the temperature in the morning?

The temperature in the morning was 34 degrees.

Step-by-step explanation:

I am going to attribute a variable to each of these tempertures, and build the equations.

Mateo read the thermometer this evening. The temperature was 52 degrees.

I am going to call the evening's temperature x.

So x = 52.

This temperature was 3 degrees less than the temperature in the afternoon.

I am going to call the afternoon's temperature y.

So

x = y - 3

52 = y - 3

y = 52 + 3

y = 55

The afternoon temperature was 21 degrees greater than the temperature in the morning.

The morning's temperature is z.

y = 21 + z

55 = 21 + z

z = 34

The temperature in the morning was 34 degrees.

Step-by-step explanation:

The temperature in the afternoon was:

Lastly, the temperature in the morning was: