We need to express this statement into a equation:
First of all. We will walk through the statement step by step into a mathematical language, so:
1. The sum of five and x:
x + 5
2. Twice the sum of five and x:
2(x + 5)
3. Eight less than x:
(x-8)
Finally the whole statement is:
4. Twice the sum of five and x is eight less than x:
2(x + 5) = (x-8)
2x + 10 = x - 8
x = -18