In the first place "combing" might make your hair look nice, but won't do much of anything for a system of equations.
If you have a system of two equations in two variables:
Multiply one or the other or both of the equations by a constant or constants so that the coefficients on one of the variables become additive inverses. Add the two equations term by term so that one of the variables is eliminated. Solve the resulting single variable equation. Take the value you just determined and substitute back into either of the original equations and then solve the resulting single variable equation for the other variable.
If you have more than two equations and an equal number of variables, you may have to repeat the above steps several times to reduce one of the equations to a single variable equation. Systems larger than 3X3 are more easily solved by other methods such as Row Reduction.
John
My calculator said it, I believe it, that settles it
