Solve: 2x + 3 = 11.

**The reasoning** This is a simple linear equation. Your goal: isolate x on one side. Starting with: 2x + 3 = 11 First, remove the 3 by subtracting it from both sides: 2x + 3 − 3 = 11 − 3 2x = 8 Now divide both sides by 2 to find x: x = 8 ÷ 2 x = 4 **Why the wrong options tempt you** - **Option A (2):** You might have divided 11 by something incorrectly, or confused the coefficient with the answer. - **Option B (3):** This is the constant we subtracted! Don't mistake a number in the equation for the final answer. - **Option D (5):** Perhaps you subtracted 3 from 8 instead of dividing, getting 8 − 3 = 5. **Quick takeaway** Whatever you do to one side of the equation, do to the other — subtraction first to remove constants, then division to isolate the variable.