Final answer:
To solve the equation 15 - 7x = 5x - 21, we first move all x terms to one side and constants to the opposite side by performing addition or subtraction. Then we divide both sides of the equation by the coefficient of x to find x = 3, which is answer choice C.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the value of x that makes the equation 15 - 7x = 5x - 21 true, we must perform a series of algebraic steps to isolate x. We start by adding 7x to both sides of the equation to move all the x terms to one side. This gives us:
15 = 12x - 21
Next, add 21 to both sides of the equation to get all constant terms on the opposite side:
15 + 21 = 12x
Then we simplify the left side:
36 = 12x
Finally, to solve for x, divide both sides of the equation by 12:
x = 36 / 12
x = 3
Therefore, the correct answer is C) x = 3.