Solve for x: 4(x − 3) = 16.

To solve the equation 4(x - 3) = 16, the first step involves isolating the term that contains x. Begin by dividing both sides of the equation by 4 to eliminate the coefficient in front of the parentheses. This yields:

x - 3 = 4.

Next, to solve for x, you need to isolate x by adding 3 to both sides of the equation:

x = 4 + 3.

This simplifies to:

x = 7.

Therefore, the correct solution to the equation is x = 7. Understanding this process involves recognizing that you first simplify the equation by dealing with the multiplicative factor and then isolating the variable by performing inverse operations, which ultimately leads to the correct answer.