1. We are given the equation $2x + 7 = -15$ and need to solve for $x$. 2. The general form of a linear equation is $ax + b = c$, where $a$, $b$, and $c$ are constants. 3. To solve for $x$, isolate $x$ by performing inverse operations: $$2x + 7 = -15$$ Subtract 7 from both sides: $$2x = -15 - 7$$ $$2x = -22$$ Divide both sides by 2: $$x = \frac{-22}{2}$$ $$x = -11$$ 4. Therefore, the solution to the equation $2x + 7 = -15$ is $x = -11$. This method applies to all linear equations of the form $ax + b = c$ by isolating $x$ step-by-step.