Question

look at these equations
48=3x2a
56=7x2b
what are the values of a and b
urgently need help!

Answer 1

48=3x2a

three times two times a?

Answer 2

yeah, you need figure out what a is to get to 48

Answer 3

3x2 = 6

so

3x2 a = 6 a

Answer 4

no it's not like that, 'a' has it's own value so if a for example was 2 it would be 2 x 2 = 4 then 4x3, but you have to figure out what 'a' is

Answer 5

the above operation works in this case

you can treat a variable like any number

Answer 6

so if you got 3x2 times the variable
the same like 6 times the variable

Answer 7

don't matter which one is multiplied first

Answer 8

my question is to find out the value of a and b, not 3x2

Answer 9

you have to multiply 3x2 first, so you can then get:

48 = 6 a
a= 8

Answer 10

I don't want to be rude because I know you're trying to help but that's not what we're taught, the letter or number next to for example 2 isn't what you times it by, its how many times you times it by itself, powers integers and roots? So if it's 2a, it's 2 to the power of a = 2x2x2x2x2x2 etc

Answer 11

I did not see any power

Answer 12

so if it was 2 to the power of 3, it would be 2x2x2

Answer 13

\[2^{a}\] = 2^a

Answer 14

so you got powers in the problem?

Answer 15

Yeah it's powers haha, omg I'm such a spaz, I typed it wrong and confused you-.-

Answer 16

I've done 3x2^a but I need to do 56 = 7x2^b

Answer 17

I can't deal with powers of a, b

close this question make new one and use ^ for powers

Answer 18

@gazelle1212 : Got it ???