b
$R_{\text {total }}=2+\frac{6 \times 1.5}{6+1.5}=3.2 k \Omega$
$(a)$ $I =\frac{24 V}{3.2 k \Omega}=7.5 mA= I _{R_1}$
$I _{R_2}=\left(\frac{R_L}{R_L+R_2}\right) I$
$I =\frac{1.5}{7.5} \times 7.5=1.5 mA$
$I _{ R _{ L }}=6 mA$
$(b)$ $V_{R_L}=\left(I_{R_1}\right)\left(R_L\right)=9 V$
$(c)$ $\frac{ P _{R_1}}{ P _{ R _2}}=\frac{ I _{ R _1}^2 R _1}{ I _{ R _2}^2 R _2}=\frac{(7.5)^2(2)}{(1.5)^2(6)}=\frac{25}{3}$
$(d)$ When $R _1$ and $R _2$ are inter changed then
$\frac{ R _2 R _{ L }}{ R _2+ R _{ L }}=\frac{2 \times 1.5}{3.5}=\frac{6}{7} k \Omega$
Now potential difference across $R _{ L }$ will be
$V _{ L }=24\left[\frac{6 / 7}{6+6 / 7}\right]=3 V$
Earlier it was $9 V$
Since, $P =\frac{ V ^2}{ R }$ or $P \propto V ^2$
In new situation potential difference has been decreased three times. Therefore, power dissipated will decrease by a factor of $9$ .