1. State the problem: Solve the equation $$2x + 3 = 7$$. 2. Use the formula for solving linear equations: isolate the variable by performing inverse operations. 3. Subtract 3 from both sides: $$2x + 3 - 3 = 7 - 3$$ $$2x = 4$$ 4. Divide both sides by 2 to solve for $$x$$: $$\frac{2x}{\cancel{2}} = \frac{4}{\cancel{2}}$$ $$x = 2$$ 5. Final answer: $$x = 2$$