Sure, let's solve the given equation step-by-step:
The equation given is:
[tex]\[ 4 + 2 \log_3(x) = 17 \][/tex]
To solve this equation, we need to isolate the logarithmic term [tex]\(\log_3(x)\)[/tex]. Here are the steps:
1. Subtract 4 from both sides of the equation to isolate the term with the logarithm:
[tex]\[
4 + 2 \log_3(x) - 4 = 17 - 4
\][/tex]
This simplifies to:
[tex]\[
2 \log_3(x) = 13
\][/tex]
2. From this step, we have successfully isolated the logarithmic term.
Given the choices, the best first step would be:
A. [tex]\(2 \log_3(x) = 13\)[/tex]
This is the correct step to begin solving the equation.