After distributing, rewrite the expression as a sum of separate terms (something like $3m + \text{number} + 2m + \text{number}$). Then look for like terms.

Add the $m$ terms together and then combine the constant numbers. Pay special attention to the signs when you add $-6$ and $+5$.

In the first line of Desmos, type something like $f(x) = 3(x - 2) + 2x + 5$ to represent the original expression (using $x$ instead of $m$).

On separate new lines, retype each of the four answer choice expressions, but replace $m$ with $x$ (for example, $5x + 1$, $x - 1$, etc.), giving each its own function name like $g(x)$, $h(x)$, and so on.

Look at the graphs: the expression that has a line lying exactly on top of the graph of $f(x)$ for all $x$ is equivalent to the original. Alternatively, create a table for $f(x)$ and for each choice, test several $x$-values; the equivalent expression will match $f(x)$’s output for every tested $x$.

Start with the expression:

Distribute the 3 to both $m$ and $-2$:

• $3 \cdot m = 3m$
• $3 \cdot (-2) = -6$

So $3(m - 2)$ becomes $3m - 6$, and the whole expression is now:

Group the like terms together:

• Variable terms: $3m$ and $2m$
• Constant terms (numbers without $m$): $-6$ and $5$

Add the variable terms:

Add the constants:

Now put these results together to form the simplified expression, and match it to the answer choices in the next step.

From the simplification, the expression $3(m - 2) + 2m + 5$ is equivalent to $5m - 1$.

Among the answer choices, this corresponds to choice D.