document.write( "Question 104558: I can't seem to come up with a correct answer to this one. Please help!
\n" ); document.write( "Use the elimination method to solve each system.
\n" ); document.write( "\"m%2F9-n%2F13=1%2F117\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"m%2F8-5n%2F16=19%2F16\"\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "I think I'm getting tripped up on the second equation.
\n" ); document.write( "I used the LCD to come up with
\n" ); document.write( "\"13m-9n=1\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"2m-5n=19\"\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "I ultimately end up with some obscure answer like 47m=166, which CAN'T be right.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Thanks!
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Algebra.Com's Answer #76077 by edjones(8007)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
\"13m-9n=1\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"2m-5n=19\"
\n" ); document.write( "The above are correct.
\n" ); document.write( "Ed
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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( " \"13%2Ax-9%2Ay=1\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"2%2Ax-5%2Ay=19\"
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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 13 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 13 and 2 is 26, we need to multiply both sides of the top equation by 2 and multiply both sides of the bottom equation by -13 like this:
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\n" ); document.write( " \"2%2A%2813%2Ax-9%2Ay%29=%281%29%2A2\" Multiply the top equation (both sides) by 2
\n" ); document.write( " \"-13%2A%282%2Ax-5%2Ay%29=%2819%29%2A-13\" Multiply the bottom equation (both sides) by -13
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\n" ); document.write( " So after multiplying we get this:
\n" ); document.write( " \"26%2Ax-18%2Ay=2\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"-26%2Ax%2B65%2Ay=-247\"
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\n" ); document.write( " Notice how 26 and -26 add to zero (ie \"26%2B-26=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( " \"%2826%2Ax-26%2Ax%29-18%2Ay%2B65%2Ay%29=2-247\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"%2826-26%29%2Ax-18%2B65%29y=2-247\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"cross%2826%2B-26%29%2Ax%2B%28-18%2B65%29%2Ay=2-247\" 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( " \"47%2Ay=-245\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"y=-245%2F47\" Divide both sides by \"47\" to solve for y
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\n" ); document.write( " \"y=-245%2F47\" Reduce
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\n" ); document.write( " Now plug this answer into the top equation \"13%2Ax-9%2Ay=1\" to solve for x
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\n" ); document.write( " \"13%2Ax-9%28-245%2F47%29=1\" Plug in \"y=-245%2F47\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"13%2Ax%2B2205%2F47=1\" Multiply
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\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( " \"13%2Ax%2B2205%2F47=1\" Reduce
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\n" ); document.write( " \"13%2Ax=1-2205%2F47\" Subtract \"2205%2F47\" from both sides
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\n" ); document.write( " \"13%2Ax=47%2F47-2205%2F47\" Make 1 into a fraction with a denominator of 47
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\n" ); document.write( " \"13%2Ax=-2158%2F47\" Combine the terms on the right side
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\n" ); document.write( " \"cross%28%281%2F13%29%2813%29%29%2Ax=%28-2158%2F47%29%281%2F13%29\" Multiply both sides by \"1%2F13\". This will cancel out \"13\" on the left side.
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\n" ); document.write( " \"x=-166%2F47\" 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=-166%2F47\", \"y=-245%2F47\"
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\n" ); document.write( " which also looks like
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\n" ); document.write( " (\"-166%2F47\", \"-245%2F47\")
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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( " \"13%2Ax-9%2Ay=1\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"2%2Ax-5%2Ay=19\"
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\n" ); document.write( " we get
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\n" ); document.write( " graph of \"13%2Ax-9%2Ay=1\" (red) \"2%2Ax-5%2Ay=19\" (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 (\"-166%2F47\",\"-245%2F47\"). This verifies our answer.

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