Explanation:
To simplify the expression (ab + b^2) / (a + b), we can factor out a common term from the numerator.
ab + b^2 = b(a + b)
Now we can rewrite the expression as:
(b(a + b)) / (a + b)
The common factor of (a + b) cancels out, leaving us with:
b
Therefore, the simplified form of the expression (ab + b^2) / (a + b) is simply "b".