According to the General Strategy for Solving Linear Equations, what is the very first step?

1. The general strategy begins by simplifying each side of the equation as much as possible, using the Distributive Property and combining like terms. 2. Only after both sides are simplified does the strategy move on to collecting variable terms on one side. 3. Collecting constants and checking the final solution both come even later, after the variable terms are already gathered. _Source: OpenStax Elementary Algebra (CC BY 4.0), Ch 2 "Solving Linear Equations and Inequalities", section 2.4 Use a General Strategy to Solve Linear Equations_