Final answer:
A system of equations is independent if it has either one solution or no solution. If a system of equations has more than one solution, it is not independent.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine whether a system of equations is independent, we can check the number of solutions it has. If a system of equations has exactly one solution, then it is an independent system. This means that the equations intersect at a single point. If a system of equations has no solution, it is also an independent system. This means that the equations do not intersect and are parallel. If a system of equations has more than one solution, it is not an independent system. This means that the equations intersect at multiple points or are the same line.