The formula b=30a is used in New England to estimate the minimum furnace output,b, in BTU's for a modern house with a sq ft of living, determine the minimum furnace output in BTU's and solve for formula a

divide each side by 30

a=b/30

To determine the minimum furnace output in BTU's using the formula b = 30a, you need the value of a, which represents the square footage of the living area in the house.

Let's say the square footage of the living area, a, is 1500 sq ft. Now we can plug this value into the formula to find the minimum furnace output, b:

b = 30a
b = 30 * 1500
b = 45,000 BTU

So, for a house with a living area of 1500 sq ft, the minimum furnace output required would be 45,000 BTU.

Now, let's solve the formula for a:

b = 30a
Divide both sides of the equation by 30:
b/30 = a

So, the formula to solve for a would be a = b/30. Using this formula, if you have the value of b (furnace output in BTU's), you can calculate the square footage of the living area in the house.