The equation of a plane wave propagating in the direction $\mathbf{\hat k}$ is
$$\mathbf E = \mathbf E_0 \cos(\mathbf k \cdot \mathbf r -\omega t)\ \ \ \ \ \text {in which}\ \ \ \ \ \mathbf k=\frac{2\pi}{\lambda} \mathbf{\hat k}$$
Expanding the dot product:
$$\mathbf E = \mathbf E_0 \cos(k_xx+k_yy+k_zz -\omega t)$$
Comparing with the wave you are considering, we see that

$$k_x=a, k_y=0, k_z=b$$
So the components of $\mathbf{\hat k}$, the unit vector in the propagation direction, are
$$\frac {a\lambda}{2\pi}, 0, \frac {b\lambda}{2\pi}$$
We note that, since $\mathbf{\hat k}$ is a unit vector,
$$\left(\frac {a\lambda}{2\pi}\right)^2+ 0^2+\left( \frac {b\lambda}{2\pi}\right)^2=1.$$