Here's the method: undo the addition first, then the multiplication.
- Start with 2x + 3 = 11.
- Subtract 3 from both sides to remove the +3: 2x = 11 − 3, so 2x = 8.
- Divide both sides by 2 to isolate x: x = 8 ÷ 2.
- So x = 4.
Check it by substituting back: 2(4) + 3 = 8 + 3 = 11, which matches the right side.
The rule behind every step is the same: whatever you do to one side of an equation, you do to the other, so it stays balanced like a scale. Once you're comfortable with this pattern, the same two moves handle most linear equations.
