SOLUTION: I have to solve this problem by the addition method. I do have a book but this problem is not out of a book,it's from a handout. I tried to follow the steps in the book to do this

Algebra ->  Expressions-with-variables -> SOLUTION: I have to solve this problem by the addition method. I do have a book but this problem is not out of a book,it's from a handout. I tried to follow the steps in the book to do this       Log On


   



Question 129145: I have to solve this problem by the addition method. I do have a book but this problem is not out of a book,it's from a handout. I tried to follow the steps in the book to do this but its not clear enough for me.I'm not sure how to go about doing this.Do I just add them together and then plug in numbers that are given? The problem is:
3x%2B4y=1
x%2B4y=7
The choice for answers are: A) (3,2) B)(-2,3) C)(3,-2)D)(-3, 5/2) E)(none of them)
I chose NONE OF THE ABOVE.
Thankyou so much!

Answer by Construe(3) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Edit: 4y%2B4y does not always equal 0, but 4y-4y=0 always. That is what we are doing when we take Equation 1 minus Equation 2. To illustrate my point, I will show it step-by-step:
%283x%2B4y%29-%28x%2B4y%29=1-7
Simplify the 1-7 on the right side of the =.
%283x%2B4y%29-%28x%2B4y%29=-6
Remove unnecessary brackets (or parentheses, depending on what you want to call them).
3x%2B4y-%28x%2B4y%29=-6
Now we remove the other pair of brackets. However, the sign before the open bracket is a minus sign, so we change the + sign inside the bracket to a -.
3x%2B4y-x-4y=-6
To understand why we must change the sign, consider this example. Let x be apples and y be oranges. When I perform -%28x%2B4y%29, I am taking away 1 apple and 4 oranges. That would have the same effect as taking away 1 apple, -x, and then taking away 4 oranges, -4y, so:
-%28x%2B4y%29=-x-4y
We have 3x%2B4y-x-4y=-6.
Rearranging the terms,
3x-x%2B4y-4y=-6
Simplifying x,
2x%2B4y-4y=-6
Obviously +4y and -4y cancel each other out, so our final equation is
2x=-6
x=%28-6%29%2F2=-3
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We are given two equations:
Equation 1:3x%2B4y=1
Equation 2:x%2B4y=7
Subtracting Equation 2 from Equation 1, we obtain:
%283x%2B4y%29-%28x%2B4y%29=1-7=-6
2x=-6
x=%28-6%29%2F2=-3
Then, substitute x=-3 into Equation 2:
-3%2B4y=7
4y=7%2B3=10
y=10%2F4=5%2F2
Since x=-3 and y=5%2F2, the solutions of (x,y) are (-3,5%2F2), and the answer is D.