Question #6a010

1 Answer
Nov 22, 2016

Consider the following system.

{(x + y = 5), (-2x + 5y = 4):}

Now, the addition/subtraction method is used to eliminate one of the variables. We can do this to the above equation for x by multiplying the first equation by 2 and using the addition method.

1)" "2(x + y) = 2(5)

2x + 2y= 10

The system becomes:

{(2x + 2y = 10), (-2x + 5y = 4):}, which can be solved by elimination:

0x + 7y = 14

y = 2

x +y = 5

x + 2 = 5

x = 3

Practice exercises:

  1. Solve each system through elimination.

a) {(x - 6y = -1), (4x + y = 21):}

b) {(3x + 4y = -2), (7x - 3y = 20):}

Hopefully this helps, and good luck!