How do you solve y= 1/x and x+5y=6 using substitution?

1 Answer
Jul 27, 2016

(x,y)=color(green)(""(1,1)) " or " color(green)(""(5,1/5))

Explanation:

Given
[1]color(white)("XXX")y=1/x
[2]color(white)("XXX")x+5y=6

Using [1] we can substitute 1/x for y in [2]
[3]color(white)("XXX")x+5/x=6

Multiplying both sides by x
[4]color(white)("XXX")x^2+5=6x

Rearranging into standard quadratic form:
[5]color(white)("XXX")x^2-6x+5=0

Factoring
[6]color(white)("XXX")(x-1)(x-5)=0

Allowing the two solutions:
{:(x=1,color(white)("XX"),x=5),(rarr y=1/1=1,,rarr y=1/5):}