What is the solution set to the equation 3x - 5 = 7?

To solve the equation 3x - 5 = 7, we need to isolate the variable x. The first step is to eliminate the constant term on the left side of the equation. We do this by adding 5 to both sides:

3x - 5 + 5 = 7 + 5

This simplifies to:

3x = 12

Next, to solve for x, we divide both sides by 3:

3x / 3 = 12 / 3

This simplifies to:

x = 4

Therefore, the solution to the equation is x = 4. This means that the only value of x that satisfies the original equation is 4, which is why this choice is the correct answer.

Finding the solution in this way solidifies the understanding of how to manipulate linear equations by isolating the variable through systematic operations.