SIMULTANEOUS LINEAR EQUATIONS

There are basically two ways or methods of

solving a pair of equations simultaneously.
These methods are called Elimination and
Substitution methods.

Elimination Method
Example 1. Solve simultaneously for x and y:
x+ 1
=
y 0
x−
=2
y
This means that we must find values of x and y
that will solve both equations. We must find two
numbers whose sum is 10 and whose difference
is 2.
The two numbers, obviously, are 6 and 4:
6+ 1
=
4 0
6−
=2
4
Let us represent the solution as the ordered
pair (6, 4).
Now, these two equations --
x+ 1
=
y 0
x−
=2
y
are linear equations. Hence, the graph of each one
is a straight line. Here are the two graphs:
 The solution to the simultaneous equations is
their point of intersection. Why? Because that
coordinate pair solves both equations. That point is
the one and only point on both lines.

Example 2. Solve simultaneously for x and y.

2
+y= 4
x
−
x−y=
1
Solution. In this case, the solution is not obvious.
Here is a general strategy for solving simultaneous
equations:
When one pair of coefficients are
negatives of one another,
add the equations vertically, and that
unknown will cancel.
We will then have one equation in one
unknown, which we can solve.
Upon adding those equations, the y's cancel:
2
+y= 4
x
−
x−y=
1
__________________________________
 3
=3
x
3
x= 3
x= 1.
To solve for y, the other unknown:
Substitute the value of x in one of the original
equations.
Upon substituting x = 1 in the first equation:
2· 1 +
=4
y

4−
y=
2

y= 2.
If we report the solution as an ordered pair,
then the solution is (1, 2). Those are the
coordinates of the point of intersection of the two
lines.
This method of solving simultaneous equations
is called the elimination method.

Example 3
Solve this system of two equations in two
unknowns.
Solve it by the method of addition. Solve it again
by the method of substitution.
x−y= 2
2 1
+y=
x 0
Upon adding those equations, the y's cancel:
x −y= 2
2x + y = 10
__________________________________

3x = 12
 12
x= 3
x = 4.
To solve for y:
Substitute x = 4 in either of the original
equations; for example, in the bottom
equation:

2· 4 + y =10
y = 10 − 8
y =2.

Example 4. Solve this system of simultaneous

equations:
3 4 1
1) + =
x y 9
2
2) −y = 9
x
Solution. If we add the equations as they are, neither
one of the unknowns will cancel. Now, if the coefficient
of y in equation 2) were −4, then the y's would cancel.
Therefore, we will expand our strategy as follows:
Make one pair of coefficients negatives of one
another -- by multiplying
both sides of an equation by the same
number. Upon adding the equations, that
unknown will be eliminated.
To make the coefficients of the y's 4 and −4, we will
multiply both sides of equation 2) by 4 :
3 4 1 4
1) + = 3x + =19
x y 9 y
2 4
2) −y = 9 8x − =36
x y

11 =55
 x
55
x = 11
x= 5
The 4 over the arrow in equation 2) signifies that
both sides of that equation have been multiplied by 4.
Equation 1) has not been changed.
To solve for y, substitute x = 5 in either one of the
original equations. In equation 1):
3· 5 +
= 19
4y
19 −
4y=
15
4y= 4
y= 1
The solution is (5, 1).
The student should always verify the solution by
replacing x and y with (5, 1) in the original equations.

Substitution Method
Example 5. Solve the same system of equations
by the method of substitution.
2
1) +y= 4
x
−
2) x−y=
1
Here is the method of substitution:
Solve one of the equations for one
unknown in terms of the other.
Then, substitute that in the other
equation.
That will yield one equation in one
unknown, which we can solve.
 Let us solve equation 1) for y:
1) y = 4 − 2x
And now, substitute this for y in equation 2):
x − (4 −
2) =−1
2x)
This equation has only the unknown x:
x−4+
=−1
2x
3x=−1 + 4
3x=3
x=1
To find y, substitute x = 1 in line 1):
y=4 − 2· 1
y=2.

General Examples
Example 6. Solve simultaneously:
3 2 −
1) + =
x y 2
2 5 −
2) + =
x y 5
Solution. We must make one pair of coefficients
negatives of one another. In this example, we must
decide which of the unknowns to eliminate, x or y. In
either case, we will make the new coefficients the
Lowest Common Multiple (LCM) of the original
coefficients -- but with opposite signs.
Thus, if we eliminate x, then we will make the new
coefficients 6 and −6. (The LCM of 3 and 2 is 6.) While
if we eliminate y, we will make their new coefficients 10
and −10. (The LCM of 2 and 5 is 10.)
Let us choose to eliminate x:
3 2 −
1) + = 6x+4y=−4
x y 2
2 5 − −6 15
2) + = − = 15
x y 5 x y
________________________________________________________________________
 11
=11 −
y
−1
y=
.
Equation 1) has been multiplied by 2. Equation 2)
has been multiplied by −3 -- because we want to make
those coefficients 6 and −6, so that on adding, they will
cancel.
To solve for x, we will substitute y = −1 in the
original equation 1):
3x + −
=
2(−1) 2

−
x – 2=
2

3x= 0

x= 0
The solution is (0, −1).

Problem 3. Solve simultaneously.

2 3 1
1) + =
x y 3
5
2) − y= 7
x
To make the y's cancel,
1) 2x +3y = 13 2x + 3y = 13
2) 5x − y = 7 15x − 3y = 21
________________________________________________________________________

17x = 34
x= 2
To solve for y:
Problem 4. Solve simultaneously.
1) x+ 2= −
 y 1
2 3
2) − = 5
x y
To make the x's cancel,
1) x +2y = −1 −2x −4y = 2
2) 2x −3y = 5 2x −3y = 5
________________________________________________________________________

−7y = 7
y = −1
To solve for x:
x + 2(−1)= −1

x − 2= −1

x = −1 + 2

x= 1
The solution is (1, −1).
We could have eliminated y by multiplying
equation 1) by 3 and equation 2) by 2.
Problem 5. Solve simultaneously:
3 4
1) − = 1
x y
2 3 1
2) + =
x y 2
To make the y's
cancel:
1) 3x −4y = 1 9x −12y = 3
2) 2x +3y = 12 8x +12y = 48
________________________________________________________________________

17x = 51
51
x = 17
x= 3
To solve for y:
 2· 3 + 3y = 12

6 + 3y = 12

3y = 6

y= 2
The solution is (3, 2).
Problem 6. Solve simultaneously:
3 2 −
1) + =
x y 4
2 5
2) + = 1
x y
To make the x's
cancel:
1) 3x +2y = −4 6x + 4y = −8
2) 2x +5y = 1 −6x −15y = −3
________________________________________________________________________

−11y = −11
y= 1
To solve for x:
3x + 2· 1= −4

3x + 2= −4

3x = −4 − 2

3x = −6

x = −2
The solution is (−2, 1).
We could have eliminated y by
multiplying equation 1) by 5 and
equation 2) by −2.
 Problem 7. Solve simultaneously:
5 3 −1
1) + =
x y 1
2 4 −1
2) + =
x y 0
To make the
x's cancel:
1) 5x +3y = −11 10x + 6y = −22
2) 2x +4y = −10 −10x −20y = 50
________________________________________________________________________

−14y = 28
y = −2
To solve for x
5x + 3(−2)= −11

5x − 6= −11

5x = −11 + 6

5x = −5

x = −1
The solution is (−1, −2).

Cramer's Rule: The Method of

Determinants
A system of two equations in
two unknowns has this form:

The a's are the coefficients

of the x's. The b's are the
coefficients of the y's. The
following is the matrix of those
coefficients.

The number a1b2 − b1a2 is

called the determinant of that
matrix.

de a1b2 −
=
t b1a2
Let us denote that
determinant by D.
Now consider this matrix in
which the c's replace the
coefficients of the x's:

Then the determinant of

that matrix -- which we will call
Dx -- is
c1b2 − b1c2
And consider this matrix in
which the c's replace the
coefficients of the y's:

The determinant of that

matrix -- Dy -- is
a1c2 − c1a2
Cramer's Rule then states
the following:
Example. Use Cramer's
Rule to solve this system of
equations
5+ 3=−1
 x y 1
2 4 −1
+ =
x y 0

Solution.
de
D= = 5· 4 − 3· 2
t
= 20 − 6

= 14.

D de −11· 4 −
= =
x t 3· −10

=−44 + 30

=−14.

D de 5· −10 −
= =
y t (−11)· 2

= −50 + 22

= −28.
Therefore,
D −1
−1
x= x = 4 =
D 14
.
D −2
−2
y= y = 8 =
D 14
.

Problem. Use Cramer's

Rule to solve these
simultaneous equations.
3 5 −3
− =
x y 1
 2
+ y= 1
x

D= det = 3· 1 − (−5)· 2

= 3 + 10

= 13.

Dx = det = −31· 1 − (−5)· 1

= −31 + 5

= −26.

Dy = det = 3· 1 − (−31)· 2

= 3 + 62

= 65.
Therefore,
Dx −26
x= = = −2.
D 13
Dy 65
y= = = 5.
D 13