Real numbers a and b satisfy a + ab = 250 a - ab = -240 Enter all possible values of a, separated by commas.
Add the equations
2a = 10
a = 5
5 ( b + 1) = 250
b + 1 = 250 / 5
b + 1 = 50
b = 49
To cancel \(ab\) you can add the equations together:
\(2a=10 \Rightarrow a=\color{blue}{\boxed{5}}\)
Now plug in \(a\) into one of the equations to get:
\(5+5b=250 \Rightarrow 5b=245 \ \text{so} \ b=\color{blue}{\boxed{49}}\).
I hope that helped!
