5x - 2y = 152x + 4y = 12According to the strategy you learned in this lesson, what is the best first step in solving the system of equations above using substitution?

The second equation, 2x + 4y = 12, is the easiest one to rearrange for x: subtract 4y, then divide by 2 to get x = 6 − 2y. This avoids dividing by 5 or 4, so solving for x in the second equation is the best first step.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.