document.write( "Question 721383: use the elimination method to solve.
\n" ); document.write( "a+7b=13
\n" ); document.write( "a+2b=-2\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Is there a solution\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Are there infinetly many soutions \r
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Algebra.Com's Answer #442345 by MathLover1(20850)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

\n" ); document.write( "let's \"a=x\" and \"b=y\"\r
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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( " \"1%2Ax%2B7%2Ay=13\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"1%2Ax%2B2%2Ay=-2\"
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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 1 and 1 to some equal number, we could try to get them to the LCM.
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\n" ); document.write( " Since the LCM of 1 and 1 is 1, we need to multiply both sides of the top equation by 1 and multiply both sides of the bottom equation by -1 like this:
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\n" ); document.write( " \"1%2A%281%2Ax%2B7%2Ay%29=%2813%29%2A1\" Multiply the top equation (both sides) by 1
\n" ); document.write( " \"-1%2A%281%2Ax%2B2%2Ay%29=%28-2%29%2A-1\" Multiply the bottom equation (both sides) by -1
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\n" ); document.write( " So after multiplying we get this:
\n" ); document.write( " \"1%2Ax%2B7%2Ay=13\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"-1%2Ax-2%2Ay=2\"
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\n" ); document.write( " Notice how 1 and -1 add to zero (ie \"1%2B-1=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( " \"%281%2Ax-1%2Ax%29%2B%287%2Ay-2%2Ay%29=13%2B2\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"%281-1%29%2Ax%2B%287-2%29y=13%2B2\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"cross%281%2B-1%29%2Ax%2B%287-2%29%2Ay=13%2B2\" 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( " \"5%2Ay=15\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"y=15%2F5\" Divide both sides by \"5\" to solve for y
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\n" ); document.write( " \"y=3\" Reduce
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\n" ); document.write( " Now plug this answer into the top equation \"1%2Ax%2B7%2Ay=13\" to solve for x
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\n" ); document.write( " \"1%2Ax%2B7%283%29=13\" Plug in \"y=3\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"1%2Ax%2B21=13\" Multiply
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\n" ); document.write( " \"1%2Ax=13-21\" Subtract \"21\" from both sides
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\n" ); document.write( " \"1%2Ax=-8\" Combine the terms on the right side
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\n" ); document.write( " \"cross%28%281%2F1%29%281%29%29%2Ax=%28-8%29%281%2F1%29\" Multiply both sides by \"1%2F1\". This will cancel out \"1\" on the left side.
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\n" ); document.write( " \"x=-8\" 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=-8\", \"y=3\"
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\n" ); document.write( " which also looks like
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\n" ); document.write( " (\"-8\", \"3\")
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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( " \"1%2Ax%2B7%2Ay=13\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"1%2Ax%2B2%2Ay=-2\"
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\n" ); document.write( " we get
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\n" ); document.write( " graph of \"1%2Ax%2B7%2Ay=13\" (red) \"1%2Ax%2B2%2Ay=-2\" (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 (\"-8\",\"3\"). This verifies our answer.
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