Simultaneous Equations - Past Paper Questions - ANSWERS

1) 3x + 2y = 17 ×5 15x + 10y = 85 21 + 2y = 17
2x + 5y = 4 ×(-2) -4x – 10y = -8 2y = -4
11x = 77 y = -2
x=7

2) 2x – y = 10 ×5 10x – 5y = 50 16 + 5y = 6
4x + 5y = 6 4x + 5y = 6 5y = -10
14x = 56 y = -2
x=4

3) 2x – 5y = 24 ×8 16x – 40y = 192 49 + 8y = 33

7x + 8y = 33 ×5 35x + 40y =165 8y = -16
51x = 357 y = -2
x=7

4) 3x – 2y = 11 ×5 15x – 10y = 55 6 + 5y = 1
2x + 5y = 1 ×2 4x + 10y = 2 5y = -5
19x = 57 y = -1
x=3

5) x + 2y = –5 x + 2y = -5 3 + 2y = -5
3x – y = 13 ×2 6x – 2y = 26 2y = -8
7x = 21 y = -4
x=3

6) y = 2x – 3 x + 2(2x – 3) = 14 y=2×4–3 P(4,5)

x + 2y = 14 x + 4x – 6 = 14 y=5
5x = 20
x=4

7) a) 5a + 3c = 158·25
b) 3a + 2c = 98
c) 5a + 3c = 158·25 ×2 10a + 6c = 316·50 67.50 + 2c = 98
3a + 2c = 98 ×-3 -9a – 6c = -294 2c = 30·50
a = 22·50 c = 15·25

Adult ticket = £22·50, Child Ticket = £15·25

8) a) 3n + 2b = 145
b) 5n + 3b = 240
c) 3n + 2b = 145 ×5 15n + 10b = 725
5n + 3b = 240 ×-3 -15n – 9b = 720
b=5

A breakfast costs £5
9) a) 4p + 3g = 1·30
b) 2p + 4g = 1·20
c) 4p + 3g = 1·30 ×(-1) -4p – 3g = -1·30 4p + 0·66 = 1·30
2p + 4g = 1·20 ×2 4p + 8g = 2·40 4p = 0·64
5g = 1·10 p = 0·16
g = 0·22

3 peaches and 2 grapefruit cost 3 × 0·16 + 2 × 0·22 = 0·92 , £0·92 or 92p

10) a) 2g + 5s = 125
b) 4g + 3s = 145
c) 2g + 5s = 125 ×2 4g + 10s = 250 2g + 75 = 125
4g + 3s = 145 ×(-1) -4g – 3s = -145 2g = 50
7s = 105 g = 25
s = 15

Gold charm costs £25, silver costs £15

11) a) 6x + 2y = 3148
b) 5x + 3y = 3022
c) 6x + 2y = 3148 ×3 18x + 6y = 9444 2550 + 2y = 3148
5x + 3y = 3022 ×(-2) -10x – 6y = -6044 2y = 598
8x = 3400 y = 299
x = 425

2 adults and 4 children cost 2 × 425 + 4 × 299 = 2046

The group have been overcharged by £10.

12) a) 24x + 6y = 60
b) 20x + 10y = 40
c) 24x + 6y = 60 ×10 240x + 60y = 600 72 + 6y = 60
20x + 10y = 40 ×(-6) -120x – 60y = -240 6y = -12
120x = 360 y = -2
x=3

David scores 17 × 3 + 13 × (-2) = 25

13) a) 2a + 4c = 56
b) a + 3c = 36
c) 2a + 4c = 56 ×(-1) -2a – 4c = -56 a + 24 = 36
a + 3c = 36 ×2 2a + 6c = 72 a = 12
2c = 16
c=8

Adult ticket costs £12, child costs £8

14) A straight line has equation y = mx + c, where m and c are constants.

a) 7 = 2m + c
b) 17 = 4m + c
c) 7 = 2m + c ×2 14 = 4m + 2c 7 = 2m – 3
17 = 4m + c ×(-1) -17 = -4m – c 10 = 2m
-3 = c m=5

d) gradient = 5
15) a) 14x + 60y = 344·30
b) 21x + 40y = 368·95
c) 14x + 60y = 344·30 ×(-2) -28x – 120y = -688·60 167·30 + 60y = 344·30
21x + 40y = 368·95 ×3 63x + 120y = 1106·85 60y = 177
35x = 418·25 y = 2·95
x = 11·95

A car costs £11·95, a passenger £2·95

16) a) 280x + 70y = 52·50

b) 210x + 40y = 38
c) 280x + 70y = 52·50 ×4 -1120x – 280y = -210 44·80 + 70y = 52·50
210x + 40y = 38 ×7 1470x + 280y = 266 70y = 7·70
350x = 56 y = 0·11
x = 0·16

A call costs £0·16 per minute a text costs £0·11

17) a) 14x + 4y = 55
b) 13x + 6y = 54·50
c) 14x + 4y = 55 ×3 42x + 12y = 165 49 + 4y = 55
13x + 6y = 54·50 ×(-2) -26x – 12y = 109 4y = 6
16x = 56 y = 1·50
x = 3·50

Adult fee = £3·50, Child fee = £1·50

18) a) x + y = 150
b) 30x + 50y = 6000
c) x + y = 150 ×(-30) -30x – 30y = 4500 x + 75 = 150
30x + 50y = 6000 30x + 50y = 6000 x = 75
20y = 1500
y = 75

75 £30 seats and 75 £50 seats

19) 2b + 5p = 5·2 ×(-2) -4b – 10p = -10·4 3·2 + 5p = 5·2

3b + 2p = 5·6 ×5 15b + 10p = 28 5p = 2
11b = 17·6 p = 0·4
b = 1·6

A bead is 1·6cm and a pearl is 0·4cm