document.write( "Question 462344: Can someone help me solve by the elimination method.
\n" ); document.write( "5r – 4s =2
\n" ); document.write( "4r +5s = 18\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "What is the solution?
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Algebra.Com's Answer #316965 by MathLover1(20850)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
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Solved by pluggable solver: Solving a System of Linear Equations by Elimination/Addition

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\n" ); document.write( " Lets start with the given system of linear equations
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\n" ); document.write( " \"5%2Ax-4%2Ay=2\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"4%2Ax%2B5%2Ay=18\"
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\n" ); document.write( " In order to solve for one variable, we must eliminate the other variable. So if we wanted to solve for y, we would have to eliminate x (or vice versa).
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\n" ); document.write( " So lets eliminate x. In order to do that, we need to have both x coefficients that are equal but have opposite signs (for instance 2 and -2 are equal but have opposite signs). This way they will add to zero.
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\n" ); document.write( " So to make the x coefficients equal but opposite, we need to multiply both x coefficients by some number to get them to an equal number. So if we wanted to get 5 and 4 to some equal number, we could try to get them to the LCM.
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\n" ); document.write( " Since the LCM of 5 and 4 is 20, we need to multiply both sides of the top equation by 4 and multiply both sides of the bottom equation by -5 like this:
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\n" ); document.write( " \"4%2A%285%2Ax-4%2Ay%29=%282%29%2A4\" Multiply the top equation (both sides) by 4
\n" ); document.write( " \"-5%2A%284%2Ax%2B5%2Ay%29=%2818%29%2A-5\" Multiply the bottom equation (both sides) by -5
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\n" ); document.write( " So after multiplying we get this:
\n" ); document.write( " \"20%2Ax-16%2Ay=8\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"-20%2Ax-25%2Ay=-90\"
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\n" ); document.write( " Notice how 20 and -20 add to zero (ie \"20%2B-20=0\")
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\n" ); document.write( " Now add the equations together. In order to add 2 equations, group like terms and combine them
\n" ); document.write( " \"%2820%2Ax-20%2Ax%29-16%2Ay-25%2Ay%29=8-90\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"%2820-20%29%2Ax-16-25%29y=8-90\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"cross%2820%2B-20%29%2Ax%2B%28-16-25%29%2Ay=8-90\" Notice the x coefficients add to zero and cancel out. This means we've eliminated x altogether.
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\n" ); document.write( " So after adding and canceling out the x terms we're left with:
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\n" ); document.write( " \"-41%2Ay=-82\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"y=-82%2F-41\" Divide both sides by \"-41\" to solve for y
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\n" ); document.write( " \"y=2\" Reduce
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\n" ); document.write( " Now plug this answer into the top equation \"5%2Ax-4%2Ay=2\" to solve for x
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\n" ); document.write( " \"5%2Ax-4%282%29=2\" Plug in \"y=2\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"5%2Ax-8=2\" Multiply
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\n" ); document.write( " \"5%2Ax=2%2B8\" Subtract \"-8\" from both sides
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\n" ); document.write( " \"5%2Ax=10\" Combine the terms on the right side
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\n" ); document.write( " \"cross%28%281%2F5%29%285%29%29%2Ax=%2810%29%281%2F5%29\" Multiply both sides by \"1%2F5\". This will cancel out \"5\" on the left side.
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\n" ); document.write( " \"x=2\" Multiply the terms on the right side
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\n" ); document.write( " So our answer is
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\n" ); document.write( " \"x=2\", \"y=2\"
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\n" ); document.write( " which also looks like
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\n" ); document.write( " (\"2\", \"2\")
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\n" ); document.write( " Notice if we graph the equations (if you need help with graphing, check out this solver)
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\n" ); document.write( " \"5%2Ax-4%2Ay=2\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"4%2Ax%2B5%2Ay=18\"
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\n" ); document.write( " we get
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\n" ); document.write( " graph of \"5%2Ax-4%2Ay=2\" (red) \"4%2Ax%2B5%2Ay=18\" (green) (hint: you may have to solve for y to graph these) and the intersection of the lines (blue circle).
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\n" ); document.write( " and we can see that the two equations intersect at (\"2\",\"2\"). This verifies our answer.
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