Final answer:
To solve the equation 2x + 1 = 7x + 3, subtract 2x from both sides, simplify, subtract 3 from both sides, and divide both sides by 5 to find x = -2/5.
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve the equation 2x + 1 = 7x + 3, we need to isolate x on one side of the equation. We can do this by performing the same operation on both sides of the equation to maintain equality. Let's start by subtracting 2x from both sides:
1 = 7x + 3 - 2x
Simplifying the right side:
1 = 5x + 3
Next, subtract 3 from both sides:
1 - 3 = 5x + 3 - 3
Which gives us:
-2 = 5x
Finally, divide both sides by 5 to solve for x:
-2/5 = x
Therefore, the solution to the equation is x = -2/5.
Learn more about Solving an equation