Final answer:
Mabel's original savings, represented as 'm', were $45 before an increase of $12 brought her total savings to $57.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is asking to represent Mabel’s savings with a variable ‘m’, based on the information that her savings increased by 12 to equal 57. The mathematical equation representing this scenario would be m + 12 = 57. To find the original savings amount, you would subtract 12 from both sides, resulting in m = 45.
Therefore, Mabel’s original savings before the increase was 45. In this case, ‘m’ represents Mabel's initial savings amount before receiving the additional 12.