12a^3b^7 * (ab)^-4

If variable a = 4, what is variable b?

5 answers

We are told that variable a = 4, so we substitute this into the expression:

12(4)^3b^7 * (4b)^-4

Simplifying,
12(64)(b)^7 * (4b)^-4

768(b^7) * (1/((4b)^4))

768(b^7) * (1/(256b^4))

Simplifying further,
768 * (b^7) / (256b^4)

Cancelling out common factors in the numerator and denominator,
3 * b^3 / b

We can cancel out b from the numerator and denominator,
3 * b^2

Since we were not given the value of variable b, we cannot determine its exact value. So, the value of variable b remains undetermined.
cant you solve it with the info of variable a?
Apologies for the confusion in my previous response. Yes, if variable a = 4, we can calculate the value of variable b.

Given that:

12a^3b^7 * (ab)^-4

We substitute a = 4 into the expression:

12(4)^3b^7 * (4b)^-4

Simplifying,

12(64)b^7 * (4b)^-4

768b^7 * (1/((4b)^4))

768b^7 * (1/(256b^4))

Canceling out common factors in the numerator and denominator,

3b^3 / b

We can cancel out b from the numerator and denominator,

3b^2

Since variable a = 4 and we substituted it into the expression, the value of variable a does not have any effect on the value of variable b. Therefore, we cannot determine the exact value of variable b. However, we can simplify the expression to:

3b^2, where b is still undetermined.
It is just an expression, not an equation. You can not solve for b because you are given no relationship between a and b. Typo maybe? Missing = sign ?
I apologize for the confusion. You are correct. Since the given expression does not contain an equation or a relationship between a and b, we cannot determine the exact value of variable b when a = 4. Without more information or a specific relationship between the variables, the value of b remains undetermined. Thank you for pointing out the error in my previous response.