How do you solve the system 3x-y=43xy=4 and 2x-3y=-92x3y=9 using substitution?

2 Answers
Feb 13, 2017

See the entire solution process below:

Explanation:

Step 1) Solve the first equation for yy:

3x - y = 43xy=4

-color(red)(3x) + 3x - y = -color(red)(3x) + 43x+3xy=3x+4

0 - y = -3x + 40y=3x+4

-y = -3x + 4y=3x+4

-1 xx -y = -1(-3x + 4)1×y=1(3x+4)

y = 3x - 4y=3x4

Step 2) Substitute 3x - 43x4 for yy in the second equation and solve for xx:

2x - 3y = -92x3y=9 becomes:

2x - 3(3x - 4) = -92x3(3x4)=9

2x - 9x + 12 = -92x9x+12=9

-7x + 12 - color(red)(12) = -9 - color(red)(12)7x+1212=912

-7x + 0 = -217x+0=21

-7x = -217x=21

(-7x)/color(red)(-7) = -21/color(red)(-7)7x7=217

(color(red)(cancel(color(black)(-7)))x)/cancel(color(red)(-7)) = 3

x = 3

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

y = 3x - 4 becomes:

y = (3 xx 3) - 4

y = 9 - 4

y = 5

The solution is: x = 3 and y = 5 or (3, 5)

Feb 13, 2017

color(red)("Extreme detail") given for determining x using first principles.

The shared point of these two equations is" "(x,y)->(3,5)

Explanation:

Given:
3x-y=4" "..............Equation(1)
2x-3y=-9" ".........Equation(2)
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color(blue)("Determine the value of x")

Consider Equation(1)

Add color(red)(y) to both sides

" "color(green)(3x-ycolor(red)(+y)" "=" "4 color(red)(+y))

But -y+y=0 giving:

" "3x+0=4+y

" "3x=4+y

Subtract color(red)(4) from both sides

" "color(green)(3xcolor(red)(-4)" "=" "4color(red)(-4)+y)

" "3x-4=y

" "y=3x-4" "......Equation(1_a)

As we have just used equation(1) we now need to use equation(2)

Using Equation(1_a) substitute for y in Equation(2)

color(green)(2x-3color(red)(y)=-9" "->" "2x-3(color(red)(3x-4))=-9)

" "2x-9x+12=-9

" "-7x+12=-9

Subtract 12 from both sides

" "color(green)(-7x+12color(red)(-12)" "=" "-9color(red)(-12))

" "-7x+0=-21

Divide both sides by -7

" "color(green)((-7)/(color(red)(-7))color(white)(.) x=(-21)/(color(red)(-7)))

" "+1xx x=+3

" "x=3
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color(blue)("Determine the value of y")

I chose equation 1 as it is the most strait forward one to use.

Substitute for x in equation 1 giving:

3x-y=4" "->" "3(3)-y=4

y=5
Tony B