How do you combine $(5 a + 9 b) - (2 a + 4 b)$ $(5a + 9b) - (2a + 4b)$ ?

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Answer 1 · 2015-05-08T23:39:14

Regroup with the terms that include the variable $a$ $a$ in one group and the terms that include the variable $b$ $b$ in the other.

$(5 a + 9 b) - (2 a + 4 b)$ $(5a+9b)-(2a+4b)$

$= (5 a - 2 a) + (9 b - 4 b)$ $=(5a-2a) + (9b-4b)$

(That's "5 aardvarks take away 2 aardvarks plus 9 baboons take away 4 baboons")

$= 3 a + 5 b$ $=3a + 5b$

How do you combine (5a+9b)−(2a+4b)(5a + 9b) - (2a + 4b)?