How do you solve the system of equations $7 x - 8 y = - 16$ $7x - 8y = - 16$ and $8 y - 7 x = 16$ $8y - 7x = 16$ ?

Question

3266 views around the world

You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License

Answer 1 · 2018-06-08T16:01:35

The system is indeterminable, which means that it cannot be solved.

If $7 x - 8 y = - 16$ $7x-8y=-16$ and $8 y - 7 x = 16$ $8y-7x=16$ ,
if you add them together you only get $0 = 0$ $0=0$

The two equations only say the same regarding the relation between x and y, and can, therefore, not give any value.

Both say that $7 x = 8 y - 16$ $7x=8y-16$ , and you need a different equation that gives a different result.

How do you solve the system of equations 7x - 8y = - 167x−8y=−167x - 8y = - 16 and 8y - 7x = 168y−7x=168y - 7x = 16?