"ab" is 0?

Norloonda

New member
Joined
Jul 16, 2013
Messages
13
Simplifying
2ab+ab=0

Combine like terms: 2ab+ab=3ab
3ab=0

Solving
3ab=0

Move all terms containing "a" and then "b" to he left side. All other terms to the right.

When moving both a & b to the left side. My question is: the left side of what; the equal sign(=) or the plus sign(+)? When trying to solve 3ab. you would do this: 3ab=0. What are the rules that says; put zero(0) on one side of this problem? Is zero always used in problems like this as a place holder?

Divide each side by 3.
ab=0

Simplifying
ab=0

Cannot be determined.
 
Simplifying
2ab+ab=0

Combine like terms: 2ab+ab=3ab
3ab=0

Solving
3ab=0

Move all terms containing "a" and then "b" to he left side. All other terms to the right.

When moving both a & b to the left side. My question is: the left side of what; the equal sign(=) or the plus sign(+)? When trying to solve 3ab. you would do this: 3ab=0. What are the rules that says; put zero(0) on one side of this problem? Is zero always used in problems like this as a place holder?

Divide each side by 3.
ab=0

Simplifying
ab=0

Cannot be determined.

Left-side of the "=" sign.

Put all other terms (terms excluding the variables that you want to evaluate), including constants (like 0).

What did you mean by the statement "Cannot be determined"
 
Cannot be determine

Left-side of the "=" sign.

Put all other terms (terms excluding the variables that you want to evaluate), including constants (like 0).

What did you mean by the statement "Cannot be determined"
A statement made by a calculator which could not solve this problem.
 
Top