1. **State the problem:** Solve the inequality $5 + 7x < 26$ for $x$. 2. **Isolate the variable term:** Subtract 5 from both sides to get the term with $x$ alone. $$5 + 7x < 26$$ $$\cancel{5} + 7x < 26 - \cancel{5}$$ $$7x < 21$$ 3. **Solve for $x$:** Divide both sides by 7. Since 7 is positive, the inequality direction stays the same. $$\frac{7x}{\cancel{7}} < \frac{21}{\cancel{7}}$$ $$x < 3$$ 4. **Interpretation:** The solution to the inequality is all real numbers $x$ less than 3. **Final answer:** $$x < 3$$