Santosh has x pens, and y pencils. Anjan has 3 pens less than Santosh and thrice the number of pencils. The expression for the total number of pens and pencils with Anjan is:
x+3y - 3
Anjan has 3 pens less than Santosh.
⇒ Anjan has (x−3) pens.
Also, Anjan has is thrice the number of pencils
⇒ Anjan has 3y pencils.
Total number of pens and pencils with Anjan is, x−3+3y⇒x+3y−3.