document.write( "Question 88380: I dont understand how to solve by addition
\n" ); document.write( "3x+4y=25
\n" ); document.write( "2x+y=10
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Algebra.Com's Answer #64175 by jim_thompson5910(35256)\"\" \"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( " \"3%2Ax%2B4%2Ay=25\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"2%2Ax%2B1%2Ay=10\"
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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 3 and 2 to some equal number, we could try to get them to the LCM.
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\n" ); document.write( " Since the LCM of 3 and 2 is 6, we need to multiply both sides of the top equation by 2 and multiply both sides of the bottom equation by -3 like this:
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\n" ); document.write( " \"2%2A%283%2Ax%2B4%2Ay%29=%2825%29%2A2\" Multiply the top equation (both sides) by 2
\n" ); document.write( " \"-3%2A%282%2Ax%2B1%2Ay%29=%2810%29%2A-3\" Multiply the bottom equation (both sides) by -3
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\n" ); document.write( " So after multiplying we get this:
\n" ); document.write( " \"6%2Ax%2B8%2Ay=50\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"-6%2Ax-3%2Ay=-30\"
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\n" ); document.write( " Notice how 6 and -6 add to zero (ie \"6%2B-6=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( " \"%286%2Ax-6%2Ax%29%2B%288%2Ay-3%2Ay%29=50-30\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"%286-6%29%2Ax%2B%288-3%29y=50-30\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"cross%286%2B-6%29%2Ax%2B%288-3%29%2Ay=50-30\" 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=20\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"y=20%2F5\" Divide both sides by \"5\" to solve for y
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\n" ); document.write( " \"y=4\" Reduce
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\n" ); document.write( " Now plug this answer into the top equation \"3%2Ax%2B4%2Ay=25\" to solve for x
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\n" ); document.write( " \"3%2Ax%2B4%284%29=25\" Plug in \"y=4\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"3%2Ax%2B16=25\" Multiply
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\n" ); document.write( " \"3%2Ax=25-16\" Subtract \"16\" from both sides
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\n" ); document.write( " \"3%2Ax=9\" Combine the terms on the right side
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\n" ); document.write( " \"cross%28%281%2F3%29%283%29%29%2Ax=%289%29%281%2F3%29\" Multiply both sides by \"1%2F3\". This will cancel out \"3\" on the left side.
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\n" ); document.write( " \"x=3\" 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=3\", \"y=4\"
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\n" ); document.write( " which also looks like
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\n" ); document.write( " (\"3\", \"4\")
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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( " \"3%2Ax%2B4%2Ay=25\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"2%2Ax%2B1%2Ay=10\"
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\n" ); document.write( " we get
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\n" ); document.write( " graph of \"3%2Ax%2B4%2Ay=25\" (red) \"2%2Ax%2B1%2Ay=10\" (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 (\"3\",\"4\"). This verifies our answer.
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