[layer8]

But x isn’t x + 5. If anything, it should be “x becomes x + 5”.

[UltraSane]

Ok. How about

Set x to x + 5

[layer8]

That’s pretty much COBOL syntax: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/debug-for-zos/17.0.x?topic=comma...

Except that COBOL doesn’t allow an arithmetic expression there, so you have to write

    COMPUTE X = X + 5.

instead. ;)