Certainly! Let's simplify the expression step-by-step:
Given expression:
[tex]\[ 2a - b - a + 18b \][/tex]
1. Combine like terms [tex]\( a \)[/tex] and [tex]\( a \)[/tex]:
[tex]\[ 2a - a = a \][/tex]
2. Combine like terms [tex]\( -b \)[/tex] and [tex]\( 18b \)[/tex]:
[tex]\[ -b + 18b = 17b \][/tex]
Now, substitute these combined terms back into the expression:
[tex]\[ a + 17b \][/tex]
So, the simplified expression is:
[tex]\[
\boxed{a + 17b}
\][/tex]
