Systems of equations
At the high school cafeteria, Lucía pays $\$65$ for 2 coffees and 1 juice; Marcos pays $\$70$ for 1 coffee and 2 juices. There are two unknown prices and two conditions that are met at the same time: a system of equations. In this section you will learn to solve linear systems in several ways, to tell how many solutions they have before calculating anything, and to set them up from a word problem. At the end we will solve the cafeteria problem.
What a system is and how it is classified
Lucía's and Marcos's conditions, with $x$ = price of a coffee and $y$ = price of a juice, are:
Each linear equation with two unknowns is a line. The solution of the system is the point where they cross. This is the graphing method: graph the two lines and read off the point of intersection.
The lines cross at $(20, 25)$: the coffee costs $\$20$ and the juice $\$25$.
Classify the following systems of equations without solving them, simply by comparing the ratios of their coefficients and constant terms: a)…
Classify the following systems of equations without solving them, simply by comparing the ratios of their coefficients and constant terms:
- a) $\begin{cases} 2x - 4y = 6 \\ -x + 2y = -3 \end{cases}$
- b) $\begin{cases} 5x + y = 10 \\ 5x + y = 15 \end{cases}$
Observe the graphical representation of the two lines that form the following system of equations. Determine, without doing any algebraic calculations, the solution of…
Observe the graphical representation of the two lines that form the following system of equations. Determine, without doing any algebraic calculations, the solution of the system and check whether the system is consistent and independent (has a unique solution).
$\begin{cases} x + y = 3 \\ 2x - y = 0 \end{cases}$
Substitution, equating, and elimination
If there are fractions, multiply each equation by the LCM of its denominators before operating.
Solve the following system of linear equations using whichever method you consider most appropriate (substitution, equating expressions, or elimination) and state…
Solve the following system of linear equations using whichever method you consider most appropriate (substitution, equating expressions, or elimination) and state whether it is a system with a unique solution (SCD), infinitely many solutions (SCI), or no solution (SIN):
$\begin{cases} 3x - 2y = 1 \\ x + 4y = 11 \end{cases}$
Solve the following system of linear equations with fractional coefficients, simplifying the expressions beforehand: $$ \begin{cases} \dfrac{x+2}{3} - \dfrac{y-1}{4} =…
Solve the following system of linear equations with fractional coefficients, simplifying the expressions beforehand:
$$ \begin{cases} \dfrac{x+2}{3} - \dfrac{y-1}{4} = \dfrac{5}{6} \\ 2(x-1) + 3y = 10 \end{cases} $$Determinants (Cramer's rule) and systems with a parameter
The determinant of a $2\times 2$ matrix is calculated by cross-multiplying:
$$\begin{vmatrix} a & b \\ c & d \end{vmatrix} = ad - bc$$When the system has a parameter $k$, the determinant tells you for which values there is a single point of intersection. The values that make it zero are studied separately.
Determine the consistency of the following system of equations depending on the value of the parameter $k$. For what value of $k$ is the system consistent with…
Determine the consistency of the following system of equations depending on the value of the parameter $k$. For what value of $k$ is the system consistent with infinitely many solutions?
$$ \begin{cases} 2x - 4y = 6 \\ x + ky = 3 \end{cases} $$Problems with two unknowns
Setting up the system correctly is half the work. Follow these steps:
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Read the text and name each unknown with its unit.
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Write one equation for each condition in the problem.
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Solve, check, and answer in words.
Two friends, Lucía and Marcos, went to a café. Lucía paid $110$ pesos for 2 coffees and 1 orange juice. Marcos paid $120$ pesos for 1 coffee and 2 orange juices. Set up…
Two friends, Lucía and Marcos, went to a café. Lucía paid $110$ pesos for 2 coffees and 1 orange juice. Marcos paid $120$ pesos for 1 coffee and 2 orange juices. Set up a system of equations and calculate the price of a coffee and of an orange juice.
The perimeter of a rectangular venue for events is $50$ meters. It is known that the length of the venue is $5$ meters more than the width. Calculate the dimensions of…
The perimeter of a rectangular venue for events is $50$ meters. It is known that the length of the venue is $5$ meters more than the width. Calculate the dimensions of the venue by setting up a system of two equations with two unknowns ($x$ for the length and $y$ for the width).
To organise an end-of-year trip, Year 12 students are selling two types of T-shirts: the "Eco" model for $240$ pesos and the "Premium" model for $360$ pesos. By the end…
To organise an end-of-year trip, Year 12 students are selling two types of T-shirts: the "Eco" model for $240$ pesos and the "Premium" model for $360$ pesos. By the end of the week they have sold a total of $150$ T-shirts and raised $44\,400$ pesos. Set up a system of equations and calculate how many T-shirts of each type they have sold.
Back to the beginning: Lucía and Marcos paid $\$65$ and $\$70$, and the system $2x+y=65$, $x+2y=70$ gives a $\$20$ coffee and a $\$25$ juice, as seen in the graph and with determinants.
Extension: three unknowns and Gaussian elimination
With three unknowns, each equation is a plane. Gaussian elimination consists of transforming the system, using operations that do not change its solutions, into an echelon system that is solved from the bottom up.
An echelon system is solved by back substitution:
In systems of three equations with three unknowns, sometimes the structure allows us to solve it immediately. Find the values of $x$, $y$, and $z$ in the following…
In systems of three equations with three unknowns, sometimes the structure allows us to solve it immediately. Find the values of $x$, $y$, and $z$ in the following triangular system using back-substitution (starting with the last unknown):
$\begin{cases} 2x + y - z = 5 \\ 3y + 2z = 8 \\ 4z = 4 \end{cases}$
Apply the first step of Gaussian elimination to eliminate the unknown $x$ from the second and third rows in the following system. You do not need to finish solving it,…
Apply the first step of Gaussian elimination to eliminate the unknown $x$ from the second and third rows in the following system. You do not need to finish solving it, just write down the resulting system after performing the appropriate elementary operations:
$\begin{cases} x + y + z = 6 \\ 2x - y + 3z = 9 \\ -x + 2y + z = 3 \end{cases}$
Solve the following system of three equations with three unknowns using Gaussian elimination: $$ \begin{cases} x + y + z = 6 \\ 2x - y + 3z = 9 \\ -x + 2y + z = 6…
Solve the following system of three equations with three unknowns using Gaussian elimination:
$$ \begin{cases} x + y + z = 6 \\ 2x - y + 3z = 9 \\ -x + 2y + z = 6 \end{cases} $$Extension: classifying with Gaussian elimination and problems with three unknowns
When you reduce to echelon form, the last row tells you the type of system:
| Last row | Type | Geometry |
|---|---|---|
| $az=b$ with $a\neq 0$ | SCD | three planes meet at a point |
| $0=0$ (row that disappears) | SCI | the planes share a line (or coincide) |
| $0=c$ with $c\neq 0$ | SIN | there is no common point |
With a parameter $k$, do Gaussian elimination and look at the values of $k$ that make the coefficient in the last row zero. For those values, study separately whether you get $0=0$ (SCI) or $0=c$ (SIN). For all other $k$ the system is SCD.
When the problem has three unknown quantities (three prices, three amounts of capital, three mixtures), you need three conditions. In mixtures, the equation for the pure substance adds up $\text{percent}\times\text{volume}$ for each mixture; in investments, it adds up $\text{rate}\times\text{principal}$.
In a downtown café, three friends order different combinations of items. The first has a coffee, a soft drink, and a slice of cake for $150$ pesos. The second has two…
In a downtown café, three friends order different combinations of items.
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The first has a coffee, a soft drink, and a slice of cake for $150$ pesos.
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The second has two coffees and a soft drink for $120$ pesos.
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The third has a coffee and two slices of cake for $170$ pesos.
Calculate the price of each item by setting up a system of three equations and solving it using Gaussian elimination.
Analyse and solve the following system of linear equations in terms of the real parameter $k$ using Gaussian elimination:…
Analyse and solve the following system of linear equations in terms of the real parameter $k$ using Gaussian elimination:
$\begin{cases} x + y + kz = 1 \\ x + ky + z = 1 \\ kx + y + z = 1 \end{cases}$
Determine for which values of $k$ the system is consistent with a unique solution, consistent with infinitely many solutions, or inconsistent. Explain the geometric interpretation of each case (planes intersecting at a point, along a line, or having no common points).
An organic chemistry laboratory wants to prepare $10$ liters of a special solution with an alcohol concentration of $35\%$. To do so, three different mixtures are…
An organic chemistry laboratory wants to prepare $10$ liters of a special solution with an alcohol concentration of $35\%$. To do so, three different mixtures are available:
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Mixture A: $20\%$ alcohol.
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Mixture B: $30\%$ alcohol.
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Mixture C: $50\%$ alcohol.
The laboratory manager imposes the condition that the volume of Mixture C used must be twice the volume of Mixture A used. How many liters of each mixture are needed to obtain the desired combination?
An investment fund management firm for young entrepreneurs distributes capital of $300,000$ pesos among three tech projects: Applied AI, Green Energy, and Cybersecurity.…
An investment fund management firm for young entrepreneurs distributes capital of $300,000$ pesos among three tech projects: Applied AI, Green Energy, and Cybersecurity.
It is known that:
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The total annual profit was $23,500$ pesos.
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The return on investment for each project was $5\%$ for AI, $10\%$ for Green Energy, and $8\%$ for Cybersecurity.
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The capital invested in Cybersecurity is equal to the sum of the capital invested in AI and half of that invested in Green Energy.
Set up a system of three equations with three unknowns and use Gaussian elimination to calculate how much money was allocated to each project.
Extension: a glimpse of nonlinear systems
If any equation has $x^2$, $xy$, a quotient, or a root, the system is nonlinear. The strategy is the same as substitution: solve in the simplest equation (usually the linear one) and substitute into the other. You almost always end up with a quadratic equation.
With the perimeter and area of a rectangle you get a sum and a product. For example, $x+y=18$ and $xy=80$: from $y=18-x$ we get $x^2-18x+80=0$, that is, $(x-10)(x-8)=0$. The dimensions are $10$ m by $8$ m.
Reminder: the Pythagorean theorem in a rectangle
The diagonal of a rectangle splits it into two right triangles. In every right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse is the sum of the squares of the legs. Here the legs are the length $x$ and the width $y$, and the hypotenuse is the diagonal $d$:
$$x^2+y^2=d^2$$Reminder: properties of logarithms
When the unknowns are inside a logarithm (with $\log$ base 10), these properties are used to turn the system into an algebraic one:
If the system has powers like $2^x$, a change of variable ($u=2^x$) makes it algebraic. Afterward, you undo the change using logarithms.
A non-linear system is one in which at least one of the equations is not of first degree. Find the points of intersection between the line and the parabola given by the…
A non-linear system is one in which at least one of the equations is not of first degree. Find the points of intersection between the line and the parabola given by the following system:
$\begin{cases} y = x^2 \\ y = x + 2 \end{cases}$
Solve the following system of non-linear equations using the substitution method: $$ \begin{cases} x \times y = 12 \\ (x-1)(y+2) = 15 \end{cases} $$
Solve the following system of non-linear equations using the substitution method:
$$ \begin{cases} x \times y = 12 \\ (x-1)(y+2) = 15 \end{cases} $$A mountain rescue team uses an antenna to locate hikers. The antenna's radio signal, located at the origin of coordinates, defines a circular coverage area given by the…
A mountain rescue team uses an antenna to locate hikers. The antenna's radio signal, located at the origin of coordinates, defines a circular coverage area given by the equation $x^2 + y^2 = 25$. A rescue helicopter moves along a straight path described by the equation $y - x = 1$. The figure shows the coverage area and the path (each square of the scale equals 1 unit on both axes). Calculate the intersection points where the helicopter enters and leaves the antenna's coverage range by solving the system:
$$ \begin{cases} x^2 + y^2 = 25 \\ y - x = 1 \end{cases} $$A rectangular plot intended for school gardens needs to be fenced. It is known that the total perimeter of the plot is $50$ meters and its area is $150$ $m^2$. Find the…
A rectangular plot intended for school gardens needs to be fenced. It is known that the total perimeter of the plot is $50$ meters and its area is $150$ $m^2$. Find the dimensions of the plot by setting up and solving a system of non-linear equations.
Solve the following system of nonlinear equations. Keep in mind that you will need to simplify the algebraic expressions before applying the substitution method and…
Solve the following system of nonlinear equations. Keep in mind that you will need to simplify the algebraic expressions before applying the substitution method and check the validity of all the solutions obtained (remember that denominators cannot be zero, that is, $x\neq y$ and $x\neq -y$):
$\begin{cases} \displaystyle \frac{x+y}{x-y} + \frac{x-y}{x+y} = \frac{10}{3} \\ x^2 + y^2 = 20 \end{cases}$
Find the values of $x$ and $y$ that satisfy the following system of logarithmic equations. Remember to apply logarithmic laws to convert the system into an algebraic one…
Find the values of $x$ and $y$ that satisfy the following system of logarithmic equations. Remember to apply logarithmic laws to convert the system into an algebraic one and check that the solutions do not invalidate the arguments of the original logarithms:
$\begin{cases} \log(x) + \log(y) = 2 \\ \log(x^2) - \log(y) = 1 \end{cases}$
An architect is designing a rectangular play area for a school. The total perimeter of the compound is $54$ meters. For safety reasons, a diagonal fence must be…
An architect is designing a rectangular play area for a school. The total perimeter of the compound is $54$ meters. For safety reasons, a diagonal fence must be installed to divide the rectangle into two triangles. If the length of this diagonal is $15$ meters more than the difference between the length and the width of the rectangle, calculate the dimensions of the play area by setting up a system of quadratic equations.
Solve the following system of exponential equations by using an appropriate substitution ($u = 3^x$, $v = 2^y$):…
Solve the following system of exponential equations by using an appropriate substitution ($u = 3^x$, $v = 2^y$):
$\begin{cases} 3^{x+1} - 2^{y+2} = 1 \\ 2 \times 3^x + 2^{y-1} = 10 \end{cases}$
Express the final values of $x$ and $y$ using logarithms if they are not integers.
Given the supply function ($O$) and demand function ($D$) of a financial product in the market: $D(x) = \displaystyle \frac{40}{x}$ $O(x) = x - 3$ Where $x$ is the price…
Given the supply function ($O$) and demand function ($D$) of a financial product in the market:
$D(x) = \displaystyle \frac{40}{x}$
$O(x) = x - 3$
Where $x$ is the price of the asset and $y$ is the quantity of assets.
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Set up the system of equations to find the market equilibrium point (where supply equals demand).
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Solve the system analytically.
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Does the negative solution make economic sense? Justify your answer based on the nature of the variables.