$$\sqrt{9-8\sin 50^\circ}$$
$$=\csc50^\circ\sqrt{9\sin^250^\circ-8\sin^350^\circ}$$
$$(\text{using }\sin^2x=1-\cos^x)$$
$$=\csc50^\circ\sqrt{9\sin^250^\circ-8\sin50^\circ(1-\cos^250^\circ)}$$
$$=\csc50^\circ\sqrt{9\sin^250^\circ-8\sin50^\circ+8\sin50^\circ\cos^250^\circ}$$
$$(\text{using }2\sin x\cos x=\sin2x)$$
$$=\csc50^\circ\sqrt{9\sin^250^\circ-8\sin50^\circ+4\sin100^\circ\cos50^\circ}$$
$$(\text{using }2\sin x\cos y=\sin(x+y)-\sin(x-y))$$
$$=\csc50^\circ\sqrt{9\sin^250^\circ-8\sin50^\circ+2(\sin150^\circ+\sin50^\circ)}$$
$$=\csc50^\circ\sqrt{9\sin^250^\circ-6\sin50^\circ+2\sin150^\circ}$$
$$(\text{using }\sin150^\circ=\sin30^\circ=\frac{1}{2})$$
$$=\csc50^\circ\sqrt{9\sin^250^\circ-6\sin50^\circ+1}$$
$$=\csc50^\circ\sqrt{(3\sin50^\circ-1)^2}$$
$$\text{(Taking the positive root.)}$$
$$=\csc50^\circ(3\sin50^\circ-1)$$
$$=3-\csc50^\circ$$
$$\text{So }a=3\text{ and }b=-1$$