Show me how to solve a two step linear equation. Simplify to a 7th grade level. Ask me a question at each step.

Let's solve a two-step linear equation together! I'll break it down step by step. Here's the equation we'll work with:

\[ 3x + 5 = 17 \]

### Step 1: Subtract the constant term from both sides.

First, we want to isolate the term with the variable \( x \). To do that, we need to get rid of the constant term (in this case, the \( +5 \)) on the left side of the equation.

\[ 3x + 5 - 5 = 17 - 5 \]

This simplifies to:

\[ 3x = 12 \]

**Question**: What operation did we perform to both sides of the equation?

### Step 2: Divide both sides by the coefficient of \( x \).

Now that we have \( 3x = 12 \), we need to solve for \( x \). To do that, we divide both sides by the coefficient of \( x \) (which is 3 in this case).

\[ \frac{3x}{3} = \frac{12}{3} \]

This simplifies to:

\[ x = 4 \]

**Question**: What operation did we perform in this step to solve for \( x \)?

### Conclusion

So, the solution to the equation \( 3x + 5 = 17 \) is \( x = 4 \).

**Question**: Do you understand why we needed to isolate the variable \( x \)?

Learn how to solve a two-step linear equation step-by-step with this comprehensive guide. Practice subtracting constants and dividing coefficients to isolate the variable. Suitable for 7th-grade students.

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