5x + 6y = 32 12y - 4x = 8 Solve the second equation for x 12y - 4x = 8 -4x = 8 - 12y Divide every term by the coefficient of x, which is -4:= - x = -2 - (-3y) x = -2 + 3y Now substitute (-2 + 3y) for x in the other equation at the top: 5x + 6y = 32 5(-2 + 3y) + 6y = 32 -10 + 15y + 6y = 32 -10 + 21y = 32 21y = 42 = y = 2 Now go back to where you solved for x: x = -2 + 3y and replace y by (2) x = -2 + 3(2) x = -2 + 6 x = 4 So the solution is (x,y) = (4,2) Checking the answer in the first equation: 5x + 6y = 32 5(4) + 6(2) = 32 20 + 12 = 32 32 = 32 Checking the answer in the second equation: 12y - 4x = 8 12(2) - 4(4) = 8 24 - 16 = 8 8 = 8 So (x,y) = (4,2) is correct because it checks in BOTH equations. Edwin