Proof Writing & Problem Solving · Easy problem

A direct proof that the product of two odd numbers is odd writes them as $2a + 1$ and $2b + 1$ and computes $(2a + 1)(2b + 1) = 2(2ab + a + b) + 1$. For the product $7 \cdot 11$, what is the integer $2ab + a + b$?