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9x + 7y = 3
x - 7y=-8

User Grigory Bushuev
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1 Answer

14 votes
14 votes

Answer:

The point at which these lines intersect is (-0.50, 1.07). We can solve this in two ways: mathematically or graphically. Both are described.

Explanation:

We have 2 equations, so we'll assume that the question is to find if they intersect, and if they do, where is the point of intersection.

Let's rewite the equations in slope-intercept format of y=mx+b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept (the value of y when x=0).

1) 9x + 7y = 3

7y = -9x + 3

y = -(9/7)x + (3/7) This line has a slope of -(9/7) and a y-intercept of +(3/7).

2) x - 7y=-8

-7y = -x - 8

y = (1/7)x + (8/7) This line has a slope of (1/7) and an intercept of (8/7)

The line have different slopes, so they will intersect. We can find the intersection point by either graphing or by substitution. We'll do both:

Substitution

We'll rearrange one equation in terms of x and then use that value of x in the second equation. Thuis has the effect of eliminating one of the variables (x or y) so that we can solve for the remaining value of x or y,

We've rearranged both equations so that they have y equal to an expression involving x. If the lines intersect, we know that y in both equations will be the same at that point, so set the equations equal to each other and solve for x:

y = -(9/7)x + (3/7)

y = (1/7)x + (8/7)

Therefore: -(9/7)x + (3/7) = (1/7)x + (8/7)

-(9/7)x -(1/7)x = + (8/7) - (3/7)

-(10/7)x = +(5/7)

x = (5/7)*(-7/10)

x = (-35/70)

x = -0.50

Now we can use this value of x to find y:

9x + 7y = 3

9(-0.50) + 7y = 3

-4.5 + 7y = 3

7y = 3+4.5

y = (7.5/7)

y = 1.07

The point at which these lines intersect is (-0.50, 1.07)

Graphing:

We can also graph the two equations and then look for the intersection. See the attached graph. The lines intersect at (-0.50, 1.07)

The mathematical approach has more certainty, since it does not require interpreting the intersection point on a graph. Use the graphing approach to check the conclusion from the substitution approach.

9x + 7y = 3 x - 7y=-8-example-1
User SNM
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