How can we prove that:
- $3b$ equals to $-24$
- and that $a+4$ equals to $6$
in the following equation?
$$ 3bx^{a+4} = -24x^6 $$
Can we not find any values of $b$ or $a$ that satisfy the above equation such that $3b$ does NOT equal to $-24$ and/or that $a+4$ does NOT equal to $6$?
As in my comment . . .
Presumably, in the context of the problem, $b$ is an unknown constant, and $x$ is an indeterminate, which can take any value.
So letting $x=1$, we get $3b=-24$, hence $b=-8$.
Replacing $3b$ by $-24$, the given identity reduces to $x^{a+4}=x^6$, and $x$ can still take any value.
So letting $x=2$, we get $2^{a+4}=2^6$, which implies $a+4=6$, hence $a=2$.
In this solution, we are not assuming $3bx^{a+2}$ is specified to be a polynomial.
But if the context of the problem allows that assumption, then as in Brahadeesh's answer, it's automatic that $a+4=6$, else the degrees won't match, and then we must have $3b=-24$, else the corresponding coefficients won't match.