Linear Equations in Two Variables

In this chapter, well use the geometry of lines to help us solve equations.

Linear equations in two variables.

If a, b, and r are real numbers (and if a and b are not both equal to 0) then
ax + by = r is called a linear equation in two variables. (The two varaibles
are the x and the y.)
The numbers a and b are called the coecients of the equation ax + by = r.
The number r is called the constant of the equation ax + by = r.

Examples. 10x 3y = 5 and 2x 4y = 7 are linear equations in two

variables.

Solutions to equations.
A solution to a linear equation in two variables ax+by = r is a specific point
in R2 such that when when the x-coordinate of the point is multiplied by a,
and the y-coordinate of the point is multiplied by b, and those two numbers
are added together, the answer equals r. (There are always infinitely many
solutions to a linear equation in two variables.)

Example. Lets look at the equation 2x 3y = 7.

Notice that x = 5 and y = 1 is a point in R2 that is a solution to this
equation because we can let x = 5 and y = 1 in the equation 2x 3y =7
and then wed have 2(5) 3(1) = 10 3 = 7.
The point x = 8 and y = 3 is also a solution to the equation 2x 3y =7
since 2(8) 3(3) = 16 9 = 7.
The point x = 4 and y = 6 is not a solution to the equation 2x 3y =7
because 2(4) 3(6) = 8 18 = 10, and 10 = 7.
To get a geometric interpretation for what the set of solutions of 2x3y = 7
looks like, we can add 3y, subtract 7, and divide by 3 to rewrite 2x 3y = 7
as 32 x 73 = y. This is the equation of a line that has slope 23 and a y-intercept
of 73 . In particular, the set of solutions to 2x 3y = 7 is a straight line.
(This is why its called a linear equation.)
198
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so the
the solutions
solutions to
in Rto this equation
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consist
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al line
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Example. The system
x 2y = 4
..... 3x + 6y
ii ~ =0
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does not have a solution. (b*o)
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1
slope, 2, so the lines dont intersect.

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186

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

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186
2199
186
1862
Systems of linear equations.
Rather than asking for the solution set of a single linear equation in two
variables, we could take two dierent linear equations in two variables and
ask for all those points that are solutions to both of the linear equations.
For example, the point x = 4 and y = 1 is a solution to both of the
equations x + y = 5 and x y = 3.
If you have more than one linear equation, its called a system of linear
equations, so that
x+y = 5
xy = 3
is an example of a system of two linear equations in two variables. There are
two equations, and each equation has the same two variables: x and y.
A solution to a system of equations is a point that is a solution to each of
the equations in the system.

Example. The point x = 3 and y = 2 is a solution to the system of two

linear equations in two variables
8x + 7y = 38
3x 5y = 1
because x = 3 and y = 2 is a solution to 3x 5y = 1 and it is a solution to
8x + 7y = 38.

Unique solutions.
Geometrically, finding a solution to a system of two linear equations in two
variables is the same problem as finding a point in R2 that lies on each of the
straight lines corresponding to the two linear equations.
Almost all of the time, two dierent lines will intersect in a single point,
so in these cases, there will only be one point that is a solution to both
equations. Such a point is called the unique solution for the system of linear
equations.

Example. Lets take a second look at the system of equations

8x + 7y = 38
3x 5y = 1
200
 The
The first
first equation in this system, 8x + 7y = 38, corresponds to aa line that
8equation in this system, 8x 8x ++ 7y
7y == 38,
38, corresponds
corresponds to to a line
line that
that
has slope 88. The second equation in this system, 3x5y = 3, is represented
has slope 77. The second equation in this
7
3 3 this system,
system, 3x5y
3x5y = = 3,
3, is
is represented
represented
by a line that has slope
by a line that has slope 5 3
3 = 3
3. Since
= 555. Since the two slopes are not equal, the
5
5 Since the
the two
two slopes
slopes are
are not
not equal,
equal, the
the
lines have to intersect in exactly one
lines have to intersect in exactly one point. point. That one point will be the unique
point. That
That one
one point
point will
will be
be the
the unique
unique
solution. As weve seen before
solution. As weve seen before that xx = that x = 3 and y = 2 is a solution to this
= 33 and
and yy =
= 22 is
is aa solution
solution to to this
this
system, it must be the unique
system, it must be the unique solution.solution.
solution.

Ii.

2.

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Example.
Example. The
The system
system
5x
5x + + 2y
2y = 44
S 2y ==4
2x +
2x + yy =y = 11
= 11
11
It
has
has aa unique
unique solution.
solution. Its = 2
Its xx = 2 and
and y = 7.
and yy = = 7.7.
Its straightforward to check that
Its straightforward to3 check that xx = x = 2 and yy = 7 is aa solution to the
= 22 andand y = = 77 is
is a solution
solution toto the
the
system. That its the only solution
system. That its the only solution follows follows from the fact that the slope of the
follows from
from thethe fact
fact that
that the
the slope
slope of
of the
the
line 5x + 2y = 4 is dierent from
line 5x + 2y 5= 4 is 2dierent from slope slope of
of the
the line
line 2x
2x ++ yy =
= 11.
11. Those
Those two
two
slope of the line 2x + y = 11. Those two
slopes are 255 and 1122 respectively.
slopes are 22 and 11 respectively.
11
No
No solutions.
solutions.
IfIf you a Stwo dierent linear equations in two
you reach
reach into
into aa hat
hat and
and pull
pull out
out
out two
two dierent
dierent linear
linear equations
equations in
in two
two
variables, its highly unlikely that
variables, its highly unlikely that the the two corresponding lines would have
the twotwo corresponding
corresponding lines
lines would
would have
have
exactly the same slope. But
exactly the same slope. But if theyif they did have the same slope, then
did have the same slope, then there there
201 did have the same slope, then there
188
4
 5

Ii.
would
would not
not be
bebeaaasolution
solution to
totothe
the system
system of
ofoftwo
two linear
linear equations
equations since
since no
no point
point
inwould
R 22 not
would lie solution
on both 3
of the
the system
parallel two
lines. linear equations since no point
ininRR2would lie on both of the parallel lines.
would lie on both of the parallel lines.
Example. The system 2.
Example. The system
Example. The system
xx 2y = 4
x2y2y==44
3x
3x + 6y = 0
3x++6y6y
ii ~
==00
does
does not
not have
have aa solution.
solution. Thats
Thats because
because each
each of
ofofthe
the two
two lines
lines has
has the
the same
same
does
slope, not
11
, sohave
the a solution.
lines dont Thats because
intersect. each the two lines has the same
slope, 22 ,1 so the lines dont intersect.
slope, , so the lines dont intersect.
2

It

a S

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
* * * * * * * * * * * * *

202
189
5
 Exercises
1.) What are the coecients of the equation 2x 5y = 23 ?

2.) What is the constant of the equation 2x 5y = 23 ?

3.) Is x = 4 and y = 3 a solution to the equation 2x 5y = 23 ?

4.) What are the coecients of the equation 7x + 6y = 15 ?

5.) What is the constant of the equation 7x + 6y = 15 ?

6.) Is x = 3 and y = 10 a solution to the equation 7x + 6y = 15 ?

7.) Is x = 1 and y = 0 a solution to the system

x + y=1
2x + 3y = 3

8.) Is x = 1 and y = 3 a solution to the system

7x + 2y = 1
5x 3 y = 14

9.) Whats the slope of the line 30x 6y = 3 ?

10.) Whats the slope of the line 10x + 5y = 4 ?

11.) Is there a unique solution to the system

30x 6y = 3
10x + 5y = 4

12.) Whats the slope of the line 6x + 2y = 4 ?

13.) Whats the slope of the line 15x + 5y = 7 ?

203
14.) Is there a unique solution to the system
6x + 2y = 4
15x + 5y = 7

204