What is the outcome of combining 10a - 2a + a?

• A. 8a
• B. 7a
• C. 6a
• D. 5a

Answer: (B)

To determine the outcome of combining the terms in the expression 10a - 2a + a, you first need to identify and sum all the coefficients of the like terms.

In this expression, each term contains the variable "a". The coefficients are 10 (from 10a), -2 (from -2a), and 1 (from a, since it is understood that a can be written as 1a).

Now, let's combine these coefficients:

1. Start with the first coefficient: 10

2. Next, add the second coefficient: 10 - 2 equals 8

3. Finally, add the last coefficient: 8 + 1 equals 9

So, the total coefficient that you'll end up with is 9. This means that when you combine the like terms, the result is 9a.

However, it appears that the answer provided does not match this outcome. The correct simplified form of the expression 10a - 2a + a is indeed 9a, which suggests that there might have been a misunderstanding in the calculation or an oversight in selecting the answer. The correct answer should align with the arithmetic of combining like terms, leading to a final expression