if you add 50 to a certain number the sum is less than 3 times the number. what is the smallest number for which this is true?
Let the certain number be N. Then
N + 50 is less than three times N
N + 50 < 3N
50 < 2N
25 < N
i.e. the number N must be greater than 25
So, the smallest value for N is 26