document.write( "Question 938456: How would I use the elimination method to for this equation?
\n" ); document.write( "-2x+y=2
\n" ); document.write( "3x-y=3
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Algebra.Com's Answer #571715 by MathLover1(20849)\"\" \"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( " \"-2%2Ax%2B1%2Ay=2\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"3%2Ax-1%2Ay=3\"
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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 -2 and 3 to some equal number, we could try to get them to the LCM.
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\n" ); document.write( " Since the LCM of -2 and 3 is -6, we need to multiply both sides of the top equation by 3 and multiply both sides of the bottom equation by 2 like this:
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\n" ); document.write( " \"3%2A%28-2%2Ax%2B1%2Ay%29=%282%29%2A3\" Multiply the top equation (both sides) by 3
\n" ); document.write( " \"2%2A%283%2Ax-1%2Ay%29=%283%29%2A2\" Multiply the bottom equation (both sides) by 2
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\n" ); document.write( " So after multiplying we get this:
\n" ); document.write( " \"-6%2Ax%2B3%2Ay=6\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"6%2Ax-2%2Ay=6\"
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\n" ); document.write( " Notice how -6 and 6 add to zero (ie \"-6%2B6=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( " \"%28-6%2Ax%2B6%2Ax%29%2B%283%2Ay-2%2Ay%29=6%2B6\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"%28-6%2B6%29%2Ax%2B%283-2%29y=6%2B6\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"cross%28-6%2B6%29%2Ax%2B%283-2%29%2Ay=6%2B6\" 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( " \"1%2Ay=12\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"y=12\" Divide both sides by \"1\" to solve for y
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\n" ); document.write( " \"y=12\" Reduce
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\n" ); document.write( " Now plug this answer into the top equation \"-2%2Ax%2B1%2Ay=2\" to solve for x
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\n" ); document.write( " \"-2%2Ax%2B1%2812%29=2\" Plug in \"y=12\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"-2%2Ax%2B12=2\" Multiply
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\n" ); document.write( " \"-2%2Ax=2-12\" Subtract \"12\" from both sides
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\n" ); document.write( " \"-2%2Ax=-10\" Combine the terms on the right side
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\n" ); document.write( " \"cross%28%281%2F-2%29%28-2%29%29%2Ax=%28-10%29%281%2F-2%29\" Multiply both sides by \"1%2F-2\". This will cancel out \"-2\" on the left side.
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\n" ); document.write( " \"x=5\" 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=5\", \"y=12\"
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\n" ); document.write( " which also looks like
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\n" ); document.write( " (\"5\", \"12\")
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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( " \"-2%2Ax%2B1%2Ay=2\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"3%2Ax-1%2Ay=3\"
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\n" ); document.write( " we get
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\n" ); document.write( " graph of \"-2%2Ax%2B1%2Ay=2\" (red) \"3%2Ax-1%2Ay=3\" (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 (\"5\",\"12\"). This verifies our answer.
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