281,690 views
19 votes
19 votes
How to Crammers Rule to find k in this equation

How to Crammers Rule to find k in this equation-example-1
User Laser Hawk
by
2.7k points

1 Answer

12 votes
12 votes

Answer:

k = -1/2 or 2

Explanation:

For equations ...

ax +by +c = 0

dx +ey +g = 0

Cramer's Rule tells you the solutions are ...

x = (-ce +gb)/(ae -db)

y = (-ga +dc)/(ae -db)

In order for these equations to be consistent, the solution for any pair of them must be the same. It is sufficient for us to find 'k' such that the values of x are the same.

__

first and third equations

x = (-1·7 +1·(k+1))/(1·7 -3·(k+1)) = (k -6)/(4-3k)

second and third equations

x = (3·7 +1·5)/(2k·7 -3·5) = 26/(14k -15)

__

For these values to be the same, we must have ...

(k -6)/(4-3k) = x = 26/(14k -15)

(k -6)(14k -15) = (4 -3k)(26) . . . . . cross multiply

14k² -99k +90 = -78k +104 . . . . . simplify

14k² -21k -14 = 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . put in standard form

7(2k +1)(k -2) = 0 . . . . . . . . factor

The solutions are the values of k that make the factors zero: k=2, k=-1/2.

These equations will be consistent if k = -1/2 or k = 2.

_____

Additional comment

Using our above expression for x, we can find the value of x for the solution x = -1/2 to be ...

x = 26/(14(-1/2) -15) = 26/(-22) = -13/11

The first equation tells us the corresponding value of y will be ...

x +(-1/2 +1)y +1 = 0

y = -2(x+1) = -2(-13/11 +11/11) = 4/11

For k = -1/2, (x, y) = (-13/11, 4/11).

The attached graph shows the solution for k=2.

For k = 2, (x, y) = (2, -1).

How to Crammers Rule to find k in this equation-example-1
User Valent Richie
by
3.1k points