How can you check if a solution is correct for the equation 4x - 12 = 0?

To determine if a solution is correct for the equation (4x - 12 = 0), the best approach is to substitute the value of (x) back into the original equation. This process involves replacing (x) with the solution you found and then simplifying the equation to see if both sides are equal.

For example, if you solved the equation and found (x = 3), you would substitute 3 for (x) in the equation:

[ 4(3) - 12 = 0. ]

Calculating this gives:

[ 12 - 12 = 0, ]

which confirms that the left side equals the right side, verifying that (x = 3) is indeed the correct solution.

Other methods, such as multiplying the equation by 4, adding 12 to both sides, or subtracting 4 from both sides, do not directly validate a solution; instead, they change the original equation without confirming its equality for the particular value of (x). Therefore, substitution is the most effective and appropriate method for checking the correctness of a solution in this context.