Q&A for How to Solve Simultaneous Equations Using Elimination Method

Return to Full Article

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    How do I find the first term and the constant difference of simultaneous equations?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    "First term" and "constant difference" do not apply to simultaneous equations. (They are used in arithmetic sequences.)
  • Question
    Is this useful in all the countries? Where I live, we work our equations very differently.
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Mathematics knows no national boundaries. There is more than one method of solving simultaneous equations, and all methods are known and "useful" in every country. Apparently you were not taught the elimination method in school.
  • Question
    How do I work with fractions in solving simultaneous equations using elimination method?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    The process is the same as outlined above, except that you would have to clear a fraction when solving for a variable. For example, you may see something like 5x/2 = 10, in which case you would just multiply both sides of that equation by 2 and then divide both sides by 5.
  • Question
    How do you solve simultaneous equations?
    Community Answer
    The article above shows one method. wikiHow has several other articles on the subject. Find them by entering "solve simultaneous equations" in the search bar above.
  • Question
    How do I solve 3x - y = 12 and 2x + y = 15?
    Community Answer
    Add the equations together to cancel the y's: 5x = 27. Divide both sides by 5 to get x = 27/5. Plug that x-value into either original equation to find that y = 21/5. Express your answers as mixed numbers if you prefer.
  • Question
    How do you solve simultaneous equations?
    Community Answer
  • Question
    What if both equations are addition?
    Community Answer
    We don't care whether there is addition or subtraction (or both) within a particular equation. All we want to do is add one equation to the other or subtract one equation from the other. The object in either case is to eliminate one variable so we can solve for the other variable.
  • Question
    If 7x - 2y = 45, and 5x + y = 37, what are x and y?
    I_l1ke_gam3s
    Community Answer
    Multiply the second equation by 2: 10x + 2y = 74. Add that new equation to the first original equation: 17x = 119, so x = 7. Plug that x-value into either original equation: 5(7) + y = 37. So 35 + y = 37, and y = 2.
  • Question
    How do you solve simultaneous equations with the same signs?
    Community Answer
    If you have simultaneous equations like 2x - y = -1 and 3x - 2y = -3, where the signs in front of the variables in one equation are the same as the corresponding signs in the other equation, the solution in this case is to subtract one equation from the other (rather than adding them together). First perform multiplication in order to make the coefficients of one of the variables the same in each equation (unless they're already the same). If we multiply the first equation by 2, it becomes 4x - 2y = -2. Now we can subtract either equation from the other to eliminate the y-terms, and it becomes easy to solve for x. Then plug the x-value into either original equation to find the y-value. (If subtracting eliminates the x-terms, you would first solve for y and then for x.)
  • Question
    How do you solve simultaneous equations by the substitution method?
    Community Answer
  • Question
    How do you solve 2y-x=3,4x+3y=10 using the elimination method?
    Community Answer
    Multiply the first equation by 4: 8y - 4x = 12. Now add that new equation to the second equation: 11y = 22. So y = 2. Now plug that y-value into either original equation: 2(2) - x = 3. Then 4 - x = 3, and x = 1.
  • Question
    Solve 2y-x=3,4x+3y=10 using elimination method
    I_l1ke_gam3s
    Community Answer
    Let's rearrange the second equation as 3y + 4x = 10. Then multiply by 3 on the first equation, and -2 on the second equation, You get 6y -3x = 9, and -6y + -8x = -20. Now add the two equations together. The 6y and -6y cancel out. -11x = -11. Divide by -11 on both sides. x = 1. Now plug that back into either of the original equations. 2y - 1 = 3. Add 1 on both sides. 2y = 4. Divide by 2 on both sides: y = 2.
  • Question
    How do I know when to use substitution and when to use elimination to solve simultaneous equations?
    I_l1ke_gam3s
    Community Answer
    There’s not really a correct way or wrong way, but substitution is a little easier when there are variables with the coefficients of 1. If there are no variables with coefficients of 1, probably the elimination method would be best.
  • Question
    Would all the methods in solving simultaneous equations give me the same answers?
    I_l1ke_gam3s
    Community Answer
    Yes. It doesn't matter if you use substitution or elimination method, both methods should give you the same answer.
  • Question
    How do I go about solving equations with fractions?
    I_l1ke_gam3s
    Community Answer
    To solve simultaneous equations with fractions, if you want to get rid of them, multiply the equations by the product of the two denominators.
  • Question
    How do you find m and n: 3m - 4n = 1, and m - 4n = 11?
    Community Answer
    Since the n terms are identical, just subtract either equation from the other to eliminate the n terms: (3m - 4n = 1) - (m - 4n = 11). The result is 2m = -10, and m = -5. Now plug that m-value into either of the original equations: (3)(-5) - 4n = 1. So -15 - 4n = 1. Add 15 to both sides: -4n = 16, and n = -4.
  • Question
    If 2x+2y=36 and 5x+4y=64, what are x and y?
    Community Answer
    Using the elimination method, multiply the first equation by 2, then subtract that new equation from the second equation, thus eliminating the y values, and you get x = -8. Plug that x-value into either of the original equations, and you find that y = 26.
  • Question
    If 2x+2y=36 and 5x+4y=64, what are x and y?
    Community Answer
    Using the elimination method, multiply the first equation by 2, and then subtract that new equation from the second equation. That eliminates the y-terms, and we find that x = -8. Plug that x-value into either of the original equations to see that y = 26.
  • Question
    What are x and y if 3x + 5y = 6, and 7x - 5y = -11?
    Community Answer
    The elimination method is perfect for this. Simply add the two equations together to eliminate the y terms: 10x = -5, and x = -½. Plug that x-value into either original equation to find that y = 1½.
  • Question
    Solve the simultaneous equations using the elimination method: 2x+5y=1, 3x-2y=3.
    I_l1ke_gam3s
    Community Answer
    Multiply the first equation by 3 and the second equation by -2. You get 6x + 15y = 3, and -6x + 4y = -6. Now add. 19y = -3. Divide by 19 on both sides: Y = -3/19. Plug that back in to any of the equations. 3x - 2(-3/19) = 3. 3x + 6/19 = 3. Subtract 6/19 on both sides. 3x = 51/19. Multiply by 1/3: X = 51/57.
  • Question
    Can I solve simultaneous equations using the substitution method?
    Community Answer
    Yes, it's very possible and simple.
  • Question
    How do I find the sum of the exterior angles of a polygon?
    Community Answer
    We know that, exterior angle + interior adjacent angle = 180°. So, if the polygon has n sides, then. Sum of all exterior angles + Sum of all interior angles = n × 180°. So, sum of all exterior angles = n × 180° - Sum of all interior angles. Sum of all exterior angles = n × 180° - (n -2) × 180°.
  • Question
    So my question was 3x+y=14, x+2y=3?
    Community Answer
    3x+y=14(1) X+2y=3(2) ÷ 3x+y+x+2y=14+3 3x=17 divide both side by 3 ÷3 ÷3 X=5 the values of x is 5 3x+y=14 (1) 3(5)+y=14(1) 15+y=14(1) +y=14-15 +Y=14 Y=14 3(5)+14=14 15-14=14(1).
  • Question
    Solve using substitution method 4x-6y=16 ,6x+8y=-10
    Community Answer
  • Question
    Using the elimination method, solve a+2b=12, and 2a+b=3.
    Community Answer
    There are two ways to do this: (1) Multiply the first equation by 2, and then subtract either equation from the other. The result of this is b = 7. Plug that b value into either of the original equations to find that a = -2. (2) Multiply the second equation by 2, and then subtract either equation from the other. The result of this is a = -2. Plug this a value into the either of the original equations to find that b = 7. Either method gives the same answer.
  • Question
    What about the substitution method?
    Community Answer
  • Question
    2×-5y=-6 and 4×-3y=-12
    Community Answer
    Multiply the first equation by 2, then subtract either equation from the other in order to eliminate the x terms. Then solve for y. Plug the y value into either original equation in order to solve for x. (Instead, you could solve for x first by eliminating the y terms. Do this by multiplying the first equation by 3 and the second equation by 5. Then subtract either new equation from the other.) (You would add the equations together instead of subtracting one from the other if one x term was positive and the other negative, or if one y term was positive and the other negative.)
  • Question
    2m¹-m²=0 and 6m¹-3m²=0
    Community Answer
    That pair of equations is not solvable. The second equation is just the first equation multiplied by 3, and that situation does not lead to a solution. (There is a trivial (useless) solution, which is that m = 0.)
  • Question
    2g + h = 2, and g - h = -5. How do I solve this?
    I_l1ke_gam3s
    Community Answer
    Add these two equations together in order to eliminate the h-terms: 3g = -3. g = -1. Now plug that g-value into either original equation to solve for h: 2(-1) + h = 2. -2 + h = 2. h = 4.
  • Question
    7r - 3x = -3 , 6r + 9x = 6
    I_l1ke_gam3s
    Community Answer
    Multiply the first equation by 6 and the second equation by -7. You get 42r - 18x = -18, and -42r - 63x = -42. Now add. -81x = -60. Divide by 81 on both sides: X = 81/60 (which reduces to 27/20). Plug that back in to any of the equations. 7r - 3(27/20) = -3. 7r - 81/20 = -3. Add 81/20 to both sides 7r = -21/20. Multiply by 1/7 on both sides. R = -21/140.
Ask a Question

      Return to Full Article