Answer: m=2
Explanation:
To simplify the expression 3m - 5 + 2(m + 6), we need to apply the distributive property and combine like terms.
Step 1: Distribute the 2 to the terms inside the parentheses: 2(m + 6) = 2m + 12
Step 2: Rewrite the expression with the distributed terms: 3m - 5 + 2m + 12
Step 3: Combine like terms: (3m + 2m) + (-5 + 12) = 5m + 7
Therefore, the simplified expression is 5m + 7.
Let's check our answer with an example
If m = 2, then the original expression would be: 3(2) - 5 + 2(2 + 6) = 6 - 5 + 2(8) = 6 - 5 + 16 = 1 + 16 = 17
Now, let's substitute m = 2 into the simplified expression: 5(2) + 7 = 10 + 7 = 17
As we can see, the simplified expression gives the same result as the original expression when m = 2.