Question: top-center: Instruction text says “Select the correct answer.” and below it “Simplify the following expression.”
center: Expression shown is “$5.3x - 8.14 + 3.6x + 9.8$”.
center: A multiple-choice answer list is shown with four expressions:
- $-2.84x + 17.94$
- $8.9x + 17.94$
- $8.9x + 1.66$
- $-2.84x - 1.66$
1. **State the problem:** Simplify the expression $$5.3x - 8.14 + 3.6x + 9.8$$.
2. **Combine like terms:** Group the terms with $x$ and the constant terms separately.
$$5.3x + 3.6x - 8.14 + 9.8$$
3. **Add the coefficients of $x$:**
$$5.3x + 3.6x = (5.3 + 3.6)x = 8.9x$$
4. **Add the constants:**
$$-8.14 + 9.8 = 1.66$$
5. **Write the simplified expression:**
$$8.9x + 1.66$$
6. **Conclusion:** The simplified expression is $$8.9x + 1.66$$, which matches the third option in the list.