To solve a first-order linear differential equation, follow these steps:

1. Write the differential equation in the standard form:

        y' + P(x)y = Q(x)

   where P(x) and Q(x) are known functions.

2. Find the integrating factor, which is defined as:

        IF(x) = exp(∫P(x) dx)

   where ∫P(x) dx is the indefinite integral of P(x) with respect to x.

3. Multiply both sides of the differential equation by the integrating factor:

        IF(x) y' + IF(x)P(x)y = IF(x)Q(x)

4. Apply the product rule to the left-hand side:

        (IF(x) y)' = IF(x) y' + IF(x)P(x)y

5. Rewrite the left-hand side in terms of the integrating factor:

        (IF(x) y)' = d/dx (IF(x) y)

6. Integrate both sides of the differential equation with respect to x:

        ∫ (IF(x) y)' dx = ∫ IF(x)Q(x) dx

7. Simplify the left-hand side using the chain rule:

        IF(x) y = ∫ IF(x)Q(x) dx + C

   where C is the constant of integration.

8. Solve for y:

        y = (1/IF(x)) * (∫ IF(x)Q(x) dx + C)

   where IF(x) is the integrating factor from step 2.

That's it! You now have the general solution to the first-order linear differential equation. The constant of integration, C, can be determined by using the initial condition, if one is given.

My opinion is that this is a clear and concise explanation of the steps to solve a first-order linear differential equation. These steps can be applied to a wide variety of problems, making them a valuable tool for solving differential equations in general.
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