Final answer:
The expression 17 - 5r + 6r - 1 simplifies to 16 + r, which can be written as 16 - r, matching option C. Options A and B cannot be confirmed without a value for r, and option D does not match the simplified expression.
Step-by-step explanation:
To evaluate the expression 17 - 5r + 6r - 1, we must first simplify the expression by combining like terms. The terms involving r are -5r and +6r. Combining these gives us 1r or simply r. Therefore, the expression simplifies to 17 + r - 1. Further simplifying the constants, we get 16 + r. This matches with option C) The expression simplifies to 16 - r.
Now, checking the other options, without specific values for r, we cannot determine an exact numerical result, so option A) and B) cannot definitely be checked, and option D) is clearly incorrect as our simplified expression does not take the form 12r - 1.
Finally, to check if our answer 16 + r (which we wrote as 16 - r to match the option) is reasonable, we need to ensure that our combination of like terms and simplification of constants was done correctly, which it was.