How do you add like terms in #3a - 7b + 4c - 12+ 5b - 2a + 23- 8c#?

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Answer 1 · 2016-12-20T11:45:59

#a - 2b - 4c + 11#

First, rearrange to group like terms together being careful to handle the signs correctly:

#3a - 2a - 7b + 5b + 4c - 8c - 12 + 23#

#(3a - 2a) + (-7b + 5b) + (4c - 8c) + (- 12 + 23)#

Now you can combine like terms:

#(3 - 2)a +(-7 + 5)b + (4 - 8)c + 11#

#1a - 2b - 4c + 11#

#a - 2b - 4c + 11#