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vita60
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Why can you simply divide the first equation by the second to find b = -5?

We know ab^2 = 50, and ab = -10. So, just by substituting "50" for "ab^2" and "-10" for "ab" in "ab^2 / ab", we find

ab^2 / ab = 50/(-10)

and canceling on both sides,

b = -5

So that's correct just using substitution. But notice that's exactly what you'd also get if you just divide the first equation by the second -- dividing one equation by another is really the same thing as substitution. So it's always fine to do, just as it's fine to add or subtract (or multiply, etc) equations, except in the one case when you might be dividing by zero.
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