1. Let's solve a simple linear equation as an example: $2x + 4 = 12$. 2. The goal is to isolate $x$ on one side of the equation. 3. Subtract 4 from both sides: $$2x + 4 - 4 = 12 - 4$$ which simplifies to $$2x = 8$$. 4. Divide both sides by 2 to solve for $x$: $$\frac{\cancel{2}x}{\cancel{2}} = \frac{8}{2}$$ which simplifies to $$x = 4$$. 5. So, the solution is $x = 4$. This is a basic example of solving linear equations by isolating the variable step-by-step.