1. **State the problem:** Solve for $x$ in the equation $2(x + 4) = 16$. 2. **Use the distributive property:** Multiply 2 by each term inside the parentheses. $$2 \times x + 2 \times 4 = 16$$ which simplifies to $$2x + 8 = 16$$ 3. **Isolate the variable term:** Subtract 8 from both sides to get $$2x = 16 - 8$$ $$2x = 8$$ 4. **Solve for $x$:** Divide both sides by 2 $$x = \frac{8}{2}$$ $$x = 4$$ 5. **Answer:** The solution is $x = 4$. This means when $x$ is 4, the original equation holds true.