1. The problem is to solve the equation $2x + 3 = 7$ for $x$. 2. We use the basic algebraic principle of isolating the variable $x$ by performing inverse operations. 3. Subtract 3 from both sides: $$2x + 3 - 3 = 7 - 3$$ which simplifies to $$2x = 4$$ 4. Divide both sides by 2 to solve for $x$: $$x = \frac{4}{2}$$ 5. Simplify the fraction: $$x = 2$$ 6. Therefore, the solution to the equation $2x + 3 = 7$ is $x = 2$.