Question: This math problem has got me stumped: The Reptile House at the zoo has 5 fewer animals than 3 times the number of animals housed in the Rain Forest exhibit. If the Reptile House has 16 animals, how many are in the Rain Forest exhibit?
Can you show me the way?
Answer: 
Let x be the number of animals in the Rain Forest exhibit
3x-5=16
3x=21
x=7