- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
ok, this is annoying. no one is even trying to solve the problem. the problem is, why doesn't it work, and everyone is telling me that it doesn't work. i already know that.
the thing that is wrong with it is, that if a=b, then a-b=0
so, by dividing both sides by a-b, in the first cancellation step, you divide both sides by zero. thats a big no-no.
and i agree that you wouldn't use a and b to represent the same thing, but the purpose of having two equal variables is to confuse the reader and cause them to overlook the fact that you divide by 0, by writing 0 as a-b