Basic Mathematics CCK-BMATH-013 1

EM01
Essential Mathematics
Session 4
Algebra & Geometrical Interpretation
– Solving Simultaneous Equations
Chin Chee Kai
cheekai@ntu.edu.sg
Nanyang Business School
Nanyang Technological University
 Algebra & Geometrical Interpretation
• Simultaneous Linear Equations in 2 Variables
• Geometric Interpretation of 2-variable Cases
• Solving 2-variable Simultaneous Equations
• Solving Non-linear Simultaneous Equations

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 Simultaneous Equations
• Normally we solve for 1 variable with 1 equation.
Eg:
𝑥 + 2 = 1 or 3𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 1 = 0 or 𝑒 −3𝑥 = 0.5
• Linear equations in 1 variable require the
maximum power of 𝑥 to be exactly 1. Eg:
𝑥 + 2 = 1 or 3𝑥 − 4 = 2𝑥 + 1
• Simultaneous linear equations in 2 variables
mean having 2 equations with 2 variables (eg 𝑥 &
𝑦) with maximum power of both 𝑥 and 𝑦 being 1.
𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 2 3𝑥 − 4 = 2𝑦 + 2
Eg: or
2𝑥 + 𝑦 = 2 5𝑥 + 3 = 3𝑦 − 2

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 Geometric Interpretation & Solution
• Solving simultaneous equations means finding the
intersection point.
• We can graphically draw lines representing each
equation (so we get 2 lines for 2 equations). Where
the lines intersect, that point must be the solution.

• From rough measurement, we 2

2𝑥 + 𝑦 = 2
find that the solution (ie the
1
intersecting point) is 𝑥 = 0.7
𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 2
and 𝑦 = 0.6.
1 2
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 Simultaneous Linear Equations
• Suppose we have unknown variables 𝑥 and 𝑦
related by 2 equations:
for real constants 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐,
𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 = 𝑒 𝑑, 𝑒, 𝑓 and provided
ቊ
𝑐𝑥 + 𝑑𝑦 = 𝑓 𝑎𝑑 − 𝑏𝑐 ≠ 0

• Then solutions are given by:

𝑒𝑑 − 𝑓𝑏 𝑓𝑎 − 𝑒𝑐
𝑥= ,𝑦 =
𝑎𝑑 − 𝑏𝑐 𝑎𝑑 − 𝑏𝑐

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 Simultaneous Linear Equations
𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 2
• In our example, , 𝑎 = 1, 𝑏 = 2, 𝑒 =
2𝑥 + 𝑦 = 2
2, 𝑐 = 2, 𝑑 = 1, 𝑓 = 2.
• Check that 𝑎𝑑 − 𝑏𝑐 = 1 × 1 − 2 × 2 = −3 ≠ 0
• So we can use the solution formula directly:
𝑒𝑑 − 𝑓𝑏 2 × 1 − 2 × 2 2
𝑥= = = = 0.6667
𝑎𝑑 − 𝑏𝑐 −3 3
𝑓𝑎 − 𝑒𝑐 2 × 1 − 2 × 2 2
𝑦= = = = 0.6667
𝑎𝑑 − 𝑏𝑐 −3 3

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 Checking Simultaneous Solutions
• Substituting into 1st equation, we get 𝑥 + 2𝑦 =
2 2
+2× =2
3 3
• Substituting into 2nd equation, we get 2𝑥 + 𝑦 =
2 2
2× + =2
3 3
• So our solution is correct, because the values
satisfy both equations simultaneously.

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 Simultaneous Linear Equations
• Eg: A random variable 𝑋 has mean 𝜇 and standard
deviation 𝜎. When 𝑋 = 12, the z-score is 1. When 𝑋 =
6, the z-score is -2. Find mean and standard deviation.
𝑥−𝜇
• Using z-score formula, 𝑧 = , we write the simultaneous
𝜎
equations:
12 − 𝜇
=1 𝜎 + 𝜇 = 12
𝜎 ⇒ቊ
6−𝜇 −2𝜎 + 𝜇 = 6
= −2
𝜎
• Then solutions are given by:
12 × 1 − 6 × 1 6 × 1 − 12 × (−2)
𝜎= = 2, 𝜇= = 10
1 × 1 − 1 × (−2) 1 × 1 − 1 × (−2)
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 Cancelling One Variable
• We can solve simultaneous equations in 2 variables by
first cancelling one variable, and then solve the remaining
variable’s value.
𝜎 + 𝜇 = 12
• Eg: In the previous example, −2𝜎 + 𝜇 = 6
We can bring make the left-hand-side contain only 𝜇 for both
𝜇 = 12 − 𝜎
equations:
𝜇 = 6 + 2𝜎
• Since the equations are both equal to 𝜇, then they must be equal.
So we can rewrite as: 12 − 𝜎 = 6 + 2𝜎
• This means 3𝜎 = 6, which implies that 𝜎 = 2.
• Now we just need to substitute 2 into 𝜎 using any equation. Eg,
𝜇 = 12 − 𝜎 = 12 − 2 = 10
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 Non-linear Simultaneous Eqns
• Using calculator’s SOLVER, we can estimate the numerical solution
to any two functions 𝑓(𝑥) and 𝑔(𝑥) such that 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑔(𝑥).
• In TI-84, press 【MATH】→【Solver】
• Enter 𝑓 𝑥 in “E1:” and 𝑔 𝑥 in “E2:”, taking care to use the 【
X,T,θ,n】key in place of 𝑥.
• The “bound={-1E99,1E99}” indicates what range of values 𝑥 might
take. If you know roughly what the root value is, you can modify
it.
• The “X=0.123” is the initial starting guess. Calculator returns the
solution value faster if you guess very closely to the actual root
value.
• Move cursor to “X=0.123”, then press 【SOLVE】(=【ALPHA】【ENTER】)
to get answer.
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 Non-linear Simultaneous Example
• Find the root for the simultaneous functions
𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 and 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑒 −2𝑥 .
• Leave the bound as “bound={-1E99,1E99}”
and starting value “X=0”.
• Answer is “X=0.56714329040979”.

• Find the positive value of 𝑥 such that

ln 2𝑥
and 2𝑥 2 − 1 have the same
1+𝑥
value.
• Using “bound={0,1}, answer is
“X=0.16614227019532”.
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