SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS

The Elimination Method

This method for solving a pair of simultaneous linear equations reduces one
equation to one that has only a single variable.
Once this has been done, the solution is the same as that for when one line was
vertical or parallel. This method is known as the Gaussian elimination Method.
Example .
Solve the following pair of simultaneous linear equations:
2𝑥 + 3𝑦 = 8
3𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 7

Equation 1: 2x + 3y = 8
Equation 2: 3x + 2y = 7
Step 1: Multiply each equation by a suitable number so that the two equations have
the same leading coefficient.
An easy choice is to multiply Equation 1 by 3, the coefficient of 𝑥 in Equation 2, and
multiply Equation 2 by 2, the x coefficient in Equation 1:

𝟑 × (𝑬𝒒𝒏 𝟏)  𝟑 × (𝟐𝒙 + 𝟑𝒚 = 𝟖)  𝟔𝒙 + 𝟗𝒚 = 𝟐𝟒
𝟐 × (𝑬𝒒𝒏 𝟐)  𝟐 × (𝟑𝒙 + 𝟐𝒚 = 𝟕)  𝟔𝒙 + 𝟒𝒚 = 𝟏𝟒

Both equations now have the same leading coefficient = 6

Step 2: Subtract the second equation from the first.
6𝑥 + 9𝑦 = 24
−6𝑥 − 4𝑦 = −14
+5𝑦 = 10

1
Step 3: Solve this new equation for y.
+5𝑦 = 10
10
𝑦= =2 ∴𝑦=2
5
Step 4: Substitute 𝑦 = 2 into either Equation 1 or Equation 2 above and solve for x.
We'll use Equation 1.
2𝑥 + 3(2) = 8
2𝑥 + 6 = 8
2𝑥 = 8 − 6
2𝑥 = 2
2
𝑥= =1
2

𝑺𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: 𝑥 = 1, 𝑦 = 2 or (1,2).

2
SOLVE SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS USING
SUBSTITUTION
QUESTION
Solve for 𝑥 and 𝑦:

𝑥−𝑦 =1 (1)
3 = 𝑦 − 2𝑥 (2)
Solution
STEP 1. Use equation (1) to express 𝒙 in terms of 𝒚.

𝑥 = 𝑦+1
STEP 2. Substitute 𝒙 into equation (2) and solve 𝒙.

3 = 𝑦 − 2(𝑦 + 1)
3 = 𝑦 − 2𝑦 − 2
5 = −𝑦
∴ 𝑦 = −5
STEP 3. Substitute y back into equation (1) and solve 𝒙.

x = (−5) + 1
∴ x = −4
STEP 4. Check the solution by substituting the answers back into both

original equations.

𝑥−𝑦 =1 (1)
3
3 = 𝑦 − 2𝑥 (2)

−4 − (−5) = 1 −4+5= 1 𝑇𝑟𝑢𝑒
3 = −5 − 2 × (−4) 3 = −5 + 8 𝑇𝑟𝑢𝑒

STEP 5. Write the final answer

𝑥 = −4
𝑦 = −5

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SOLVING SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS GRAPHICALLY
Simultaneous equations can also be solved graphically. If the graphs of each linear
equation are drawn, then the solution to the system of simultaneous equations is the
coordinates of the point at which the two graphs intersect.

For example:

𝑥 = 2𝑦 (1)
𝑦 = 2𝑥 − 3 (2)

The graphs of the two equations are shown below.

The intersection of the two graphs is (𝟐; 𝟏).

So the solution to the system of simultaneous equations is 𝒙 = 𝟐 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝒚 = 𝟏.
 We can also check the solution using algebraic methods.
Substitute equation (1) into (2):
𝑦 = 2𝑦

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 ∴ 𝑦 = 2(2𝑦) − 3
Then solve for 𝑦:
𝑦 − 4𝑦 = −3
−3𝑦 = −2
∴𝑦=1
Substitute the value of 𝑦 back into equation (1):
𝑥 = 2(1)
∴𝑥=2
Notice that both methods give the same solution.

WORKED EXAMPLE : SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS

Solve the following system of simultaneous equations graphically:

4𝑦 + 3𝑥 = 100 (1)
4𝑦 − 19𝑥 = 12 (2)
SOLUTION
STEP 1.
Write both equations in form 𝒚 = 𝒎𝒙 + 𝒄

𝟒𝒚 + 𝟑𝒙 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝟒𝒚 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎 − 𝟑𝒙
𝟑
𝒚 = − 𝒙 + 𝟐𝟓
𝟒

𝟒𝒚 − 𝟏𝟗𝒙 = 𝟏𝟐
𝟒𝒚 = 𝟏𝟗𝒙 + 𝟏𝟐
𝟏𝟗
𝒚= 𝒙+𝟑
𝟒

STEP 2. Sketch the graphs on the same set of axes

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STEP 3. Find the coordinates of the point of intersection

The two graphs intersect at (4; 22)

STEP 4. Write the final answer

𝒙=𝟒

𝒚 = 𝟐𝟐