What are x and y if y = 4x + 3 and 2x + 3y = -5?

2 Answers
May 15, 2018

x=-1 and y=-1

Explanation:

show below

y = 4x + 3..........1

2x + 3y = -5..........2

put 1 in 2

2x + 3(4x + 3)= -5

2x+12x+9=-5

14x=-14

x=-1

y = 4(-1) + 3=-4+3=-1

May 15, 2018

Through substitution or elimination, we can determined that x=-1 and y=-1.

Explanation:

There are two ways to algebraically solve for x and y.

Method 1: Substitution

Through this method, we solve to a variable in one equation and plug it in to the other. In this case, we already know the value of y in the first equation. Therefore, we can substitute it it for y in the second equation and solve for x.

y=4x+3
2x+3(4x+3)=-5
2x+12x+9=-5
14x=-14
x=-1

Now, we just need to plug x back in to one of the equations to solve for y. We can use the first equation because y is already isolated, but both will yield the same answer.

y=4(-1)+3)
y=-4+3
y=-1

Therefore, x is -1 and y is -1.

Method 2: Elimination

Through this method, the equations are subtracted so that one of the variables is eliminated. To do this, we must isolate the constant number. In other words, we put x and y on the same side, like in the second equation.

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

Now, the equations are both in the same form. However, to eliminate one of the variables, we must get 0 when the equations are subtracted. This means we must have the same coefficients on the variable. For this example, let's solve for x. In the first equation, x has a coefficient of 4. Thus, we need x in the second equation to have the same coefficient. Because 4 is 2 times its current coefficient of 2, we need to multiply the entire equation by 2 so it stays equivalent.

2(2x+3y)=2(-5)
4x+6y=-10

Next, we can subtract the two equations.

4x+6y=-10
-(4x-y=-3)
–––––––––––––––––––
0x+7y=-7

7y=-7
y=-1

As with the first method, we plug this value back in to find x.

-1=4x+3
-4=4x
-1=x

Therefore, x is -1 and y is -1.