Question

Which expression is equivalent to (12x - 5y - 1) + (174 - 4 - 13x – 3y)?

Answer 1

Given the following expression:

$\mleft(12x-5y-1\mright)+(17y-4-13x-3y)$

You can find an equivalent expression by simplifying it.

Remember the Sign Rules for Multiplication:

$\begin{gathered} +\cdot+=+ \\ -\cdot-=+ \\ -\cdot+=- \\ +\cdot-=- \end{gathered}$

Then, you can rewrite the expression as follows:

$=12x-5y-1+17y-4-13x-3y$

And finally, you have to add the like terms (by definition, like terms have the same variables and the same exponents). Then, you get:

$\begin{gathered} =(12x-13x)+(-5y+17y-3y)-1-4 \\ =-x+9y-5 \end{gathered}$

Therefore, the answer is: Second option.