"ab" is 0?

[Norloonda]

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.

 

[Deleted member 4993]

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"

 

[Bob Brown MSEE]

ab = 0

There are two solutions:

a=0 and/or b=0

 

[Ishuda]

There are two solutions:

a=0 and/or b=0

True (and that is what I would write for the solution). But you can not determine both a and b.

 

[Norloonda]

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.