If a * b = 2 (a + b), then 5 * 2 is equal to:

In the equation a * b = 2 (a + b), where * represents a custom operation, the answer for 5 * 2 is not directly obtainable using conventional math operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division.To solve for 5 * 2, we need to understand the logic behind the custom operation. Since the operation involves doubling the sum of a and b, it essentially multiplies both a and b by 2 and then adds them together.So, for 5 * 2:Double both 5 and 2: 2 * 5 = 10, 2 * 2 = 4Add the doubled values: 10 + 4 = 14Therefore, 5 * 2 in this custom operation equals 14.The other options are incorrect because:3: This result would be obtained if the operation simply involved multiplying a and b.10: This result would be obtained if the operation only doubled one of the numbers.20: This result is too high and doesn't follow the logic of the custom operation.