Book 4B Chapter 8

Solving Simultaneous equations

by the Graphical Method
Simultaneous linear equations
y=x+2
Solve . y=x+2
y = 2x + 5

From the graph, the

solution of the above
(1, 3)
simultaneous equations is
x = 1, y = 3.
Solution

y = 2x + 5
 Similarly, we can solve
simultaneous equations with one
linear and one quadratic using the
graphical method.
 Simultaneous equations
(one linear and one quadratic)
y = x2
y=x 2
Solve .
y=x+2 Solution
(2, 4) y=x+2
Referring to the figure,
the two graphs intersect
at (1, 1) and (2, 4). Solution
∴∴ ( x( ,xy, y) )( ( 
1,11,)1)oror(2(,24, 4
))
(1,
1)
The solutions obtained
are approximations only.
Solve the following simultaneous equations
graphically.
y = x2  x + 3
y = 2x + 3
Step 1 Draw the graphs of both equations on
the same rectangular coordinate plane.
y = x2  x + 3
x 2 1 0 1 2 3
y 9 5 3 3 5 9
y = 2x + 3
x 0 1 2
y 3 5 7
 y Step 2
10 Read the coordinates
(3, 9)
of the intersection(s) of
8 their graphs.
6

4
∵ The two graphs
y=x x+3
2
intersect at (0, 3)
(0, 3)
2 and (3, 9).
y = 2x + 3 ∴ (x, y) = (0, 3) or (3, 9)
0
x
2 1 1 2 3
y If the two graphs do
not intersect, what
are the solutions?

x
0

If the two graphs do not

intersect, the simultaneous
equations have no real
solutions.
Follow-up question
Solve the following simultaneous equations
graphically.
y = x2  3x + 1
y=x+5
y = x2  3x + 1
x 4 3 2 1 0 1
y 3 1 3 3 1 3

y=x+5
x 4 3 2
y 1 2 3
 y ∵ The two graphs
(2, 3) intersect at only
3
one point (2, 3).
2 ∴ (x, y) = (2, 3)
1
y=x+5
x
4 3 2 1 0 1

1

2
y = x2  3x + 1
3
 y
IfDo
youyou knowthe
extend howrange
4
many solutions
of the graphs, do
youthis
will
set offind
simultaneous
another
2
equations have?
intersection!

0
x
2 1 1 2

As you see, the two graphs

intersect at only one point,
the simultaneous equations
have only one solution.
 Without drawing the graphs of
the simultaneous equations,
can we find the number of
their solutions?

Yes, we can find the number

of solutions by algebraic
method.
Consider the following simultaneous equations.
y = ax2 + bx + c ……(1)
y = mx + n ……(2)

By substituting (2) into (1), we have

mx + n = ax2 + bx + c
ax2 + (b  m)x + (c  n) = 0 ……(3)

and alsodetermine
We can the number of
the
intersections of their
number of real graphs
solutions ofby
considering the discriminant
the simultaneous equations,()
of the equation (3).
Discriminant () of
ax2 + (b  m)x + (c  n) = 0 >0 =0 <0

No. of solutions of
y = ax2 + bx + c 2 distinct real 1 real no real
y = mx + n solutions solution solutions

No. of intersections of the 2 intersections 1 intersection no

graphs of y = ax2 + bx + c intersections
and y = mx + n e.g. e.g. e.g.
y y y

x x x
0 0 0
Follow-up question
Find the number of intersections of the line L: y = 2x – 4
and the quadratic curve C: y = 3x2 – 6x – 2.

y = 3x2 – 6x – 2 ……(1)
y = 2x – 4 ……(2)
By substituting (2) into (1), we have
2x  4  3 x 2  6 x  2
3x 2  8x  2  0 ……(3)

 of (3) = (–8)2 – 4(3)(2)

= 40
>0
Follow-up question
Find the number of intersections of the line L: y = 2x – 4
and the quadratic curve C: y = 3x2 – 6x – 2.

∵  of (3) > 0
∴ (3) has 2 distinct real roots.
∴ The simultaneous equations have 2 distinct real solutions.
∴ There are 2 intersections between the two graphs.