a) 3(5(-217)-2(-2))-5(3(-217)-4(-2))= 3(-1085+4)-5(-651+8)= 3(-1081)-5(-643)= -3243+3215= -28
b) 4(-12/7)(3(-12/7)^2-(-12/7)(1.5/12)^2-(1.5/12)^3)-6(-12/7)(2(-12/7)^2+(-12/7)(1.5/12)^2-2/3(1.5/12)^3)= 4(-12/7)(3(144/49)-(-12/7)(1.5/12)^2-(1.5/12)^3)-6(-12/7)(2(144/49)+(-12/7)(1.5/12)^2-2/3(1.5/12)^3)= 4(-12/7)(432/49+1.5/144-(1.5/12)^3)-6(-12/7)(288/49+1.5/144-1/3(1.5/12)^3)= 4(-12/7)(432/49+1.5/144-0.000603)-6(-12/7)(288/49+1.5/144-0.000167)= 4(-12/7)(9.469+0.0104-0.000603)-6(-12/7)(6.285+0.0104-0.000167)= 4(-12/7)(9.479)= -7.9-6(-12/7)(6.684)= -8.1
Therefore, a = -28 and b = -8.
a) 3(5(-217)-2(-2))-5(3(-217)-4(-2))
= 3(-1085+4)-5(-651+8)
= 3(-1081)-5(-643)
= -3243+3215
= -28
b) 4(-12/7)(3(-12/7)^2-(-12/7)(1.5/12)^2-(1.5/12)^3)-6(-12/7)(2(-12/7)^2+(-12/7)(1.5/12)^2-2/3(1.5/12)^3)
= 4(-12/7)(3(144/49)-(-12/7)(1.5/12)^2-(1.5/12)^3)-6(-12/7)(2(144/49)+(-12/7)(1.5/12)^2-2/3(1.5/12)^3)
= 4(-12/7)(432/49+1.5/144-(1.5/12)^3)-6(-12/7)(288/49+1.5/144-1/3(1.5/12)^3)
= 4(-12/7)(432/49+1.5/144-0.000603)-6(-12/7)(288/49+1.5/144-0.000167)
= 4(-12/7)(9.469+0.0104-0.000603)-6(-12/7)(6.285+0.0104-0.000167)
= 4(-12/7)(9.479)= -7.9-6(-12/7)(6.684)= -8.1
Therefore, a = -28 and b = -8.