Two of the terms involve the variable \(x\) and two involve the variable \(y\). If there is only one of a letter, you only write the letter with no 1 in front of it, eg \(4b - 3b = b\) NOT \(1b\).

Collecting like terms means to simplify terms in expressions in which the variables are the same. In the expression \(5a + 2b + 3a - 6b\), the terms \(5a\) and \(+ 3a\) are like terms, as are \(2b ...