document.write( "Question 122917: Solve the system by addition.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " 4x – 8y = –5
\n" ); document.write( " 8x + 4y = 5
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Algebra.Com's Answer #90225 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-8%2Ay=-5\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"8%2Ax%2B4%2Ay=5\"
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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 8 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 8 is 8, we need to multiply both sides of the top equation by 2 and multiply both sides of the bottom equation by -1 like this:
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\n" ); document.write( " \"2%2A%284%2Ax-8%2Ay%29=%28-5%29%2A2\" Multiply the top equation (both sides) by 2
\n" ); document.write( " \"-1%2A%288%2Ax%2B4%2Ay%29=%285%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( " \"8%2Ax-16%2Ay=-10\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"-8%2Ax-4%2Ay=-5\"
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\n" ); document.write( " Notice how 8 and -8 add to zero (ie \"8%2B-8=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( " \"%288%2Ax-8%2Ax%29-16%2Ay-4%2Ay%29=-10-5\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"%288-8%29%2Ax-16-4%29y=-10-5\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"cross%288%2B-8%29%2Ax%2B%28-16-4%29%2Ay=-10-5\" 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( " \"-20%2Ay=-15\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"y=-15%2F-20\" Divide both sides by \"-20\" to solve for y
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\n" ); document.write( " \"y=3%2F4\" Reduce
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\n" ); document.write( " Now plug this answer into the top equation \"4%2Ax-8%2Ay=-5\" to solve for x
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\n" ); document.write( " \"4%2Ax-8%283%2F4%29=-5\" Plug in \"y=3%2F4\"
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\n" ); document.write( " \"4%2Ax-24%2F4=-5\" Multiply
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\n" ); document.write( " \"4%2Ax-6=-5\" Reduce
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\n" ); document.write( " \"4%2Ax=-5%2B6\" Subtract \"-6\" from both sides
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\n" ); document.write( " \"4%2Ax=1\" Combine the terms on the right side
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\n" ); document.write( " \"cross%28%281%2F4%29%284%29%29%2Ax=%281%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=1%2F4\" 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=1%2F4\", \"y=3%2F4\"
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\n" ); document.write( " which also looks like
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\n" ); document.write( " (\"1%2F4\", \"3%2F4\")
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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-8%2Ay=-5\"
\n" ); document.write( " \"8%2Ax%2B4%2Ay=5\"
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\n" ); document.write( " we get
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\n" ); document.write( " graph of \"4%2Ax-8%2Ay=-5\" (red) \"8%2Ax%2B4%2Ay=5\" (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 (\"1%2F4\",\"3%2F4\"). This verifies our answer.
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