To solve this, I need to understand the diagram you’re referring to. However, since you haven’t uploaded an image, I'll assume this is related to a geometric figure involving line segments (like a triangle or a line with points labeled A, B, C, and E).

Given that $CE = 12$ units and $BE = 5$ units, we want to find the length of $AE$.

Possible Assumptions:

1. If points $A$, $B$, $C$, and $E$ are collinear, then $AE = AB + BE$ or $AE = AC + CE$, depending on the arrangement.
2. If $A$, $B$, and $C$ are part of a geometric figure, like a triangle, then the relationships might be different.

Without the diagram, the most straightforward assumption is that these points are collinear, and we simply sum the distances. If $BE = 5$ and $CE = 12$, then it might imply $AE = BE + CE$.

Calculation:

$AE = BE + CE = 5 + 12 = 17 \, \text{units}$

Thus, based on the given information:

Final Answer:

$\boxed{17 \, \text{units}}$

Would you like a visual explanation or more details? Here are five related questions for further exploration:

1. How do you solve problems involving collinear points?
2. What is the difference between geometric figures with segments and those with