document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=7687>Question 7687</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> I have tried and tried to get this right and when I check the answer and am not even near been correct:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Problem:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "4x + 3y = 59<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2x + 3y = 43 added together you get:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "6x + 6y = 102<BR>\n" );
document.write( "6x/6    = 102/6<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x = 17\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "I know this is not correct because when substitute of x I am not correct? See<BR>\n" );
document.write( "4(17) + 3y = 59<BR>\n" );
document.write( "98 + 3y =59<BR>\n" );
document.write( "HELP!  I know that it is simple but, I keep doing it wrong.  I had 75 problems, and the problems without negative numbers seem to mess me up.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Thanks </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #4235 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=prince_abubu><B>prince_abubu(198)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-09.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=prince_abubu><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=4235\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> So we start with\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "4x + 3y = 59<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2x + 3y = 43\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "What we're going to do is eliminate one of the variables. By the looks of it, you've got a 3y on both equations. That's very nice of them because it makes it easier.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "We're actually going to use a trick here. We're going to multiply the second equation by -1. BTW, doing this does NOT alter the equation. It just changes its appearance. So now you've got:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "4x + 3y = 59<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-2x - 3y = -43\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Now calculate downwards like you did. You should get\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "2x = 16 <------ The 3y's cancel to 0.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x = 8.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Now to get the y, you can plug in the x = 8 in any of the two equations. You WILL get the same y-value. Let's just pick the first one:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "4(8) + 3y = 59 ---> 32 + 3y = 59 ---> 3y = 27 ---> y = 9.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Let's try to do the second one just to see:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "2(8) + 3y = 43 ---> 16 + 3y = 43 ---> 3y = 27 ---> y = 9. AHA! Same answer!\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>\n" );
document.write( "What happens, then, if all of the coefficients are different? What do you do? Stay tuned. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );