Final answer:
To solve the system of equations using elimination, add the two equations together to cancel out the b term. Then solve for a and substitute that value back into one of the original equations to find b.
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve the system of equations using elimination, we can add the two equations together. This will cancel out the b term and allow us to solve for a. Adding the equations gives us:
3a - 5b + (3a + 5b) = 1 + 11
Simplifying the equation gives us:
6a = 12
Dividing both sides of the equation by 6, we find that:
a = 2
Substituting this value back into one of the original equations, we can solve for b:
3(2) - 5b = 1
6 - 5b = 1
Subtracting 6 from both sides, we find that:
-5b = -5
Dividing both sides of the equation by -5, we find that:
b = 1