document.write( "Question 110665: Solve by addition:\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "4x-7y = 19
\n" ); document.write( "x+4y= -1
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Algebra.Com's Answer #80619 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( " \"4%2Ax-7%2Ay=19\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"1%2Ax%2B4%2Ay=-1\"
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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 4 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 4 and 1 is 4, we need to multiply both sides of the top equation by 1 and multiply both sides of the bottom equation by -4 like this:
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\n" ); document.write( " \"1%2A%284%2Ax-7%2Ay%29=%2819%29%2A1\" Multiply the top equation (both sides) by 1
\n" ); document.write( " \"-4%2A%281%2Ax%2B4%2Ay%29=%28-1%29%2A-4\" Multiply the bottom equation (both sides) by -4
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\n" ); document.write( " So after multiplying we get this:
\n" ); document.write( " \"4%2Ax-7%2Ay=19\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"-4%2Ax-16%2Ay=4\"
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\n" ); document.write( " Notice how 4 and -4 add to zero (ie \"4%2B-4=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( " \"%284%2Ax-4%2Ax%29-7%2Ay-16%2Ay%29=19%2B4\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"%284-4%29%2Ax-7-16%29y=19%2B4\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"cross%284%2B-4%29%2Ax%2B%28-7-16%29%2Ay=19%2B4\" 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( " \"-23%2Ay=23\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"y=23%2F-23\" Divide both sides by \"-23\" to solve for y
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\n" ); document.write( " \"y=-1\" Reduce
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\n" ); document.write( " Now plug this answer into the top equation \"4%2Ax-7%2Ay=19\" to solve for x
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\n" ); document.write( " \"4%2Ax-7%28-1%29=19\" Plug in \"y=-1\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"4%2Ax%2B7=19\" Multiply
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\n" ); document.write( " \"4%2Ax=19-7\" Subtract \"7\" from both sides
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\n" ); document.write( " \"4%2Ax=12\" Combine the terms on the right side
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\n" ); document.write( " \"cross%28%281%2F4%29%284%29%29%2Ax=%2812%29%281%2F4%29\" Multiply both sides by \"1%2F4\". This will cancel out \"4\" 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=-1\"
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\n" ); document.write( " which also looks like
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\n" ); document.write( " (\"3\", \"-1\")
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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( " \"4%2Ax-7%2Ay=19\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"1%2Ax%2B4%2Ay=-1\"
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\n" ); document.write( " we get
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\n" ); document.write( " graph of \"4%2Ax-7%2Ay=19\" (red) \"1%2Ax%2B4%2Ay=-1\" (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\",\"-1\"). This verifies our answer.
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