How do you solve the following system?: x -9y =-2 , -2x +5y = -9

1 Answer
Apr 28, 2017

See the entire solution process below:

Explanation:

Step 1) Solve the first equation for x:

x - 9y = -2

x - 9y + color(red)(9y) = -2 + color(red)(9y)

x - 0 = -2 + 9y

x = -2 + 9y

Step 2) Substitute -2 + 9y for x in the second equation and solve for y:

-2x + 5y = -9 becomes:

-2(-2 + 9y) + 5y = -9

(-2 * -2) + (-2 * 9y) + 5y = -9

4 - 18y + 5y = -9

4 + (-18 + 5)y = -9

4 + (-13)y = -9

4 - 13y = -9

-color(red)(4) + 4 - 13y = -color(red)(4) - 9

0 - 13y = -13

-13y = -13

(-13y)/color(red)(-13) = (-13)/color(red)(-13)

(color(red)(cancel(color(black)(-13)))y)/cancel(color(red)(-13)) = 1

y = 1

Step 3) Substitute 1 for y in the solution to the first equation at the end of Step 1 and calculate x:

x = -2 + 9y becomes:

x = -2 + (9 * 1)

x = -2 + 9

x = 7

The solution is: x = 7 and y = 1 or (7, 1)