What is the result of combining 8a + 2b - 3a + b?

• A. 5a + 2b
• B. 5a + 3b
• C. 10a + b
• D. 3a + 3b

Answer: (B)

To find the result of combining the terms in the expression 8a + 2b - 3a + b, start by identifying and grouping the like terms. Like terms are those that contain the same variable raised to the same power.

First, look at the terms involving 'a':

• You have 8a and -3a. To combine these, you subtract the coefficients: 8 - 3 = 5. Thus, the combined term for 'a' is 5a.

Next, consider the terms involving 'b':

• You have 2b and b (which can be thought of as 1b). Combine these by adding the coefficients: 2 + 1 = 3. Therefore, the combined term for 'b' is 3b.

When you combine these results, you get:

5a + 3b

This corresponds to the answer choice that accurately represents the simplified form of the original expression. Hence, the correct result of combining like terms in this expression is 5a + 3b.