To add or subtract terms with exponents, both the base and the exponent must be the same. In this case they are so subtract the coefficients and retain the base and exponent:

-6b² - 1b²
(-6 - 1)b²
-7b²

To take the square root of a fraction, break the fraction into two separate roots then calculate the square root of the numerator and denominator separately:

\( \sqrt{\frac{16}{16}} \)
\( \frac{\sqrt{16}}{\sqrt{16}} \)
\( \frac{\sqrt{4^2}}{\sqrt{4^2}} \)
1

The absolute value is the positive magnitude of a particular number or variable and is indicated by two vertical lines: \(\left|-5\right| = 5\). In the case of a variable absolute value (\(\left|a\right| = 5\)) the value of a can be either positive or negative (a = -5 or a = 5).

If 48% of the town's 21,000 voters cast ballots the number of votes cast is:

(\( \frac{48}{100} \)) x 21,000 = \( \frac{1,008,000}{100} \) = 10,080

The mayor got 87% of the votes cast which is:

(\( \frac{87}{100} \)) x 10,080 = \( \frac{876,960}{100} \) = 8,770 votes.

To find the average of these 4 numbers add them together then divide by 4:

\( \frac{11 + 5 + 10 + 6}{4} \) = \( \frac{32}{4} \) = 8