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Solve the system of equations -5x-7y=23 and 3x+4y=-12 by combining the equations.

User Jamilla
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1 Answer

14 votes
14 votes

To solve the system of equations:


\begin{gathered} -5x-7y=23 \\ 3x+4y=-12 \end{gathered}

We can do by adding equations. To do that, we need to make the coefficient of one of the variables the same but with different signs.

We can do that with x by multiplying the first equations by 3 and the second by 5:


\begin{gathered} -5x+7y=23\leftrightarrow-15x-21y=69 \\ 3x+4y=-12\leftrightarrow15x+20y=-60 \end{gathered}

Now, we add them:


\begin{gathered} -15x-21y=69 \\ 15x+20y=-60 \\ 0x-1y=9 \\ -y=9 \\ y=-9 \end{gathered}

Now, we can substitute y into either equation to find out x:


\begin{gathered} -5x-7y=23 \\ -5x-7\cdot(-9)=23 \\ -5x+63=23 \\ -5x=23-63 \\ -5x=-40 \\ x=(-40)/(-5) \\ x=8 \end{gathered}

So, the solution is:


\begin{gathered} x=8 \\ y=-9 \end{gathered}

User Sharhabeel Hamdan
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