How do you combine like terms in #17a - 18b + 18c + 13a + 9b + 5c#?

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Answer 1 · 2018-04-18T18:58:56

30a - 9b + 23c

You want to collect the like terms together in the equation, so:

#17a - 18b + 18c + 13a + 9b + 5c#

becomes

#17a + 13a - 18b + 9b + 18c + 5c#

Note that the sign before the term stays with the term (it is always -18b in this case).

Complete the equation:

#17a + 13a = 30a#
#-18b + 9b = -9b#
#18c + 5c = 23c#

Therefore: #30a-9b+23c#