A number when increased by `40%` becomes 42. What is the number ?

Answer

To find the original number that, when increased by 40%, becomes 42, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand the Problem**: We need to find a number (let's call it \( x \)) that, when increased by 40%, equals 42.

2. **Set Up the Equation**: When we increase a number \( x \) by 40%, it can be expressed mathematically as:
\[ x + 0.4x = 42 \]
This simplifies to:
\[ 1.4x = 42 \]

3. **Solve for \( x \)**: To find \( x \), we divide both sides of the equation by 1.4:
\[ x = \frac{42}{1.4} \]

4. **Perform the Division**: Now, we calculate \( \frac{42}{1.4} \):
\[ x = 30 \]

5. **Conclusion**: The original number is \( 30 \).

### Final Answer:
The number is **30**.

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