3x + 6y = 9 (1) 4x + 8y = 16 (2) Let us divide equation (1) by 2 (both sides) and equation (2) by 4 (both sides). You will get x + y = 3 (1') x + y = 4 (2') Note that the left sides of these equations (1') and (2') are identical, while left sides are different. It means that the system (1')-(2') is a) dependent and b) inconsistent. It has no solution. It implies that the original system (1)-(2) is a) dependent and b) inconsistent, too. It also has no solution. One can see it from the very beginning that the system (1)-(2) is dependent and inconsistent. Indeed, the equations (1) and (2) have proportional left side coefficients, while the right sides are proportional with the different coefficient of proportionality.