document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=6087>Question 6087</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> This question is on the Addition Method rather than the Substitution Method. When using the Addition Method won't you only solve for 1 variable?  Here is the problem below:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Problem:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(Eq.1) 3a + 2b = 8<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(Eq.2) 5a + 2b =2\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "-1(3a) + -1(2b) = -1(8)\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "   -3a + -2b =  -8<BR>\n" );
document.write( "    5a +  2b  =  2<BR>\n" );
document.write( "   _______________<BR>\n" );
document.write( "    2a       = -6<BR>\n" );
document.write( "       2a/2  = -6/2<BR>\n" );
document.write( "          a  = -3<BR>\n" );
document.write( "If I canceled out \"b\" how do I solve for \"b\". \r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "My instructor wrote this on my test:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "b=?\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Thanks,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "TSJ<BR>\n" );
document.write( "  <BR>\n" );
document.write( "    <BR>\n" );
document.write( "    <BR>\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #3249 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Abbey><B>Abbey(339)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-10.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Abbey><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=3249\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> once you found a, you put it back into the equation to find b:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "3(-3)+2b=8<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-9+2b=8<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2b=17<BR>\n" );
document.write( "b=17/2\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "then verify with both numbers in the other equation:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "5(-3)+2(17/2)=2<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-15+17=2 - this is a true statement, so the solution is  = (-3,17/2) - this is written in parentheses because the solution is actually where these two lines intersect on a graph - a single point. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );