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You have been asked to solve the system below. What method do you choose and why?

4x + 2y = 9

7x + 5y = -1

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Answer:

Elimination isn't exactly the easiest for this situation. But since the equations are in the same form and not solved for the same variable, I would go with elimination. (If they were solved for the same variable, I would go with substitution.) It would require me to make a manipulation on both equations.

I would multiply first equation by 5 and second equation by -2. The reason I would do this is because the y's would have opposite coefficients and when you add opposites you get 0.

The new set of equations would look like this:

20x+10y=45

-14x-10y=2

But I will slope here since we aren't asked to solve it.

Some texts use the term linear combination instead of elimination. They are the same.

User Silentavt
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