SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS
There are three (3) main methods
used to solve SIMULTANEOUS
EQUATIONS:
• Elimination method
• Substitution method
• Graphical method
Elimination method
In this method one of the unknowns will be
removed from each equation in the initial stages
then the remaining unknown can then be calculated.
EXAMPLE:
Solve the following using the elimination method
2𝑥 + 3𝑦 = 8 ... ... ... ... ... . (1)
3𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 7 ... ... ... ... ... . (2)
2𝑥 + 3𝑦 = 8 ... ... ... ... ... . (1)
EXAMPLE: 3𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 7 ... ... ... ... ... . (2)
We can eliminate the x variable
2𝑥+3𝑦 = 8 × 3
3𝑥+2𝑦 = 7 × 2
This produces
6𝑥 + 9𝑦 = 24 ... ... ... ... . (3)
6𝑥 + 4𝑦 = 14 ... ... ... ... . (4)
2𝑥 + 3𝑦 = 8 ... ... ... ... ... . (1)
EXAMPLE: 3𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 7 ... ... ... ... ... . (2)
Subtract to eliminate the 𝑥
6𝑥 + 9𝑦 = 24 ... ... ... ... . (3)
−(6𝑥 + 4𝑦 = 14 ) ... ... ... ... . (4)
0𝑥 + 5𝑦 = 10 .
Therefore:
5𝑦 = 10
10
𝑦=
5
𝑦=2
2𝑥 + 3𝑦 = 8 ... ... ... ... ... . (1)
EXAMPLE: 3𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 7 ... ... ... ... ... . (2)
Substitute 𝑦 = 2 into either Equation 1 or 2
2𝑥 + 3(2) = 8................(1)
2𝑥 + 6 = 8 .
2𝑥 = 8 − 6 .
2𝑥 = 2 .
2
𝑥= .
2
𝑥=1 .
EXAMPLE 2:
Solve the following using the elimination method
𝑥 + 7𝑦 = 10 ... ... ... ... ... . (1)
3𝑥 - 2𝑦 = 7 ... ... ... ... ... . (2)
𝑥 + 7𝑦 = 10 ... ... ... ... ... . (1)
EXAMPLE 2: 3𝑥 - 2𝑦 = 7 ... ... ... ... ... . (2)
Solution: Therefore:
𝑥 + 7𝑦 = 10 × 3 23𝑦 = 23
23
3𝑥 - 2𝑦 = 7 ×1 𝑦=
23
𝑦 = 1.
Substitute 𝑦 = 1 into Equation 1
3𝑥 + 21𝑦 = 30... ... ... ... . (3)
-( 3x - 2𝑦 = 7 ) ... ... ... ... . (4) 𝑥 + 7(1) = 10................(1)
0𝑥 + 23𝑦 = 23 . 𝑥 + 7 = 10 .
𝑥 = 10 − 7 .
𝑥=3 .
EXAMPLE 3:
Solve the following using the elimination method
-4𝑥 + 8𝑦 = 0 ... ... ... ... ... . (1)
7𝑥 - 4𝑦 = 20 ... ... ... ... ... . (2)
-4𝑥 + 8𝑦 = 0 ... ... ... ... ... . (1)
EXAMPLE 3: 7𝑥 - 4𝑦 = 20 ... ... ... ... ... . (2)
Solution: Therefore:
10x = 40
-4𝑥 + 8𝑦 = 0 × 1 40
x=
7𝑥 - 4𝑦 = 20 × -2 10
x = 4.
Substitute x = 4 into Equation 2
-4𝑥 + 8𝑦 = 0... ... ...... (3)
-( -14x + 8𝑦 = - 40 ) ... ... ... .(4) 7(4) - 4y = 20................(2)
10𝑥 + 0𝑦 = 40 . 28 - 4y = 20 .
-4y = 20 - 28 .
-4y = -8 .
−8
𝑦= .
−4
𝑦=2 .
Substitution method
In this method one of the equations is re-written
with one of the variables as its subject and
SUBSTITUTED into the other equation to obtain
the solutions.
EXAMPLE 4:
Solve the following using the substitution method
3𝑥 + 𝑦 = 13 ... ... ... ... . (1)
5𝑥 − 2𝑦 = 7 ... ... ... ... . (2)
3𝑥 + 𝑦 = 13 ... ... ... ... . (1)
EXAMPLE 4: 5𝑥 − 2𝑦 = 7 ... ... ... ... . (2)
Let’s rearrange equation 1, making 𝑦 the subject.
3𝑥 + 𝑦 = 13 ... ... ... ... . (1)
𝑦 = 13 − 3𝑥 ... ... ... . (3)
Wherever you see y in equation 2, plug in equation 3.
5𝑥 − 2𝑦 = 7 ... ... ... ... . (2)
5𝑥 − 2(13 − 3𝑥) = 7 . careful with your
NB : Be
signs when expanding the
5𝑥 − 26 + 6𝑥 = 7 . brackets.
3𝑥 + 𝑦 = 13 ... ... ... ... . (1)
EXAMPLE 4: 5𝑥 − 2𝑦 = 7 ... ... ... ... . (2)
Simplify and solve for 𝑥
5𝑥 − 26 + 6𝑥 = 7
5𝑥 + 6𝑥 = 7 + 26
11𝑥 = 33
𝑥=3
Substitute 𝑥 = 3 into Equation 3 to solve for 𝑦.
𝑦 = 13 − 3𝑥 ... ... ... . (3)
𝑦 = 13 − 3(3) .
𝑦=4 .
EXAMPLE 5:
Solve the following using the substitution method
7𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 47 ... ... ... ... . (1)
5𝑥 − 4𝑦 = 1 ... ... ... ... . (2)
7𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 47 ... ... ... ... . (1)
EXAMPLE 5: 5𝑥 − 4𝑦 = 1 ... ... ... ... . (2)
Solution:
5𝑥 − 4𝑦 = 1 ... ... ... ... . (2) 7(1 + 4y) + 10𝑦 = 235 multiply out the brackets
5𝑥 = 1 + 4𝑦 . 7 + 28y + 10𝑦 = 235
1 + 4y 28y + 10𝑦 = 235 - 7
𝑥= ... ... ... ... . (3)
5 38𝑦 = 228
228
Wherever you see x in equation 1, 𝑦= =6
38
plug in equation 3.
Substitute 𝑦 = 6 into Equation 3 to solve for x
7𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 47 ... ... ... ... . (1)
1 + 4y
𝑥= ... ... ... ... . (3)
( 5 ) multiply throughout by 5
1 + 4y 5
7 + 2𝑦 = 47
1 + 4(6)
to get rid of the fraction 𝑥= .
5
25
7(1 + 4y) + 10𝑦 = 235 𝑥= =5 .
5
Graphical method
To solve simultaneous equation graphically, draw
graphs of the equations involved and locate the
coordinates of the intersection of those graphs.
EXAMPLE 6:
Solve the following using the graphical method
𝑦 = 2𝑥 − 4 ... ... ... ... . (1)
𝑦 = −𝑥 + 5 ... ... ... ... . (2)
𝑦 = 2𝑥 − 4 ... ... ... ... . (1)
EXAMPLE 6: 𝑦 = −𝑥 + 5 ... ... ... ... . (2)
NB: TO DRAW ANY LINE, three (3) points are required.
pick a negative value, zero and a positive value.
Since 𝑥 is the independent variable we choose values for 𝑥 as
shown in the table below along with the corresponding 𝑦 values.
x -2 -1 0 1 2
𝑦 = 2𝑥 − 4 -8 -6 -4 -2 0
𝑦 = −𝑥 + 5 7 6 5 4 3
𝑦 = 2𝑥 − 4 ... ... ... ... . (1)
EXAMPLE 6: 𝑦 = −𝑥 + 5 ... ... ... ... . (2)
x -2 -1 0 1 2
𝑦 = 2𝑥 − 4 -8 -6 -4 -2 0
𝑦 = −𝑥 + 5 7 6 5 4 3
The point to
intersection gives the
point of
solution to the intersection
simultaneous
equation.
𝑥=3
𝑦=2
EXAMPLE 7:
Solve the following using the graphical method
3𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 8 ... ... ... ... . (1)
𝑦 = 2𝑥 - 3 ... ... ... ... . (2)
3𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 8 ... ... ... ... . (1)
EXAMPLE 7: 𝑦 = 2𝑥 - 3 ... ... ... ... . (2)
x -2 -1 0 1 2
8 − 3x
𝑦= 2 7 5.5 4 2.5 1
𝑦 = 2𝑥 - 3 -7 -5 -3 -1 1
For equation 1, make y
the subject.
3𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 8 ... ... . (1)
point of
intersection 2𝑦 = 8 - 3x
8 − 3x
𝑦=
2
x=2 Now calculate the points
y=1 to plot
