How many solutions for x and y?

Hint: Think about the line

representing 𝑥 = 3
For 𝒙 For 𝒚

𝑥=3 1? ∞?
𝑥2 = 4 2? ∞?
𝑥+𝑦 = 9 ∞? ∞?
𝑥+𝑦 =9
1? 1?
𝑥−𝑦 =1
 8
By using graphical methods,
solve the simultaneous
equations:
6 Solution:
𝒙+𝒚=𝟕
𝟐𝒙 − 𝒚 = −𝟏 𝒙 = 𝟐, ?
𝒚=𝟓

But why does finding the 4

intersection of the lines give

x+
the solution?

y=
1. The line for each 2

7
equation represents all
the points (x,y) for which
the equation is satisfied.
-10 -8 ?at the
2. Therefore, -6 -4 -2 2 4 6 8 10
intersection(s), this gives
-1

the points for which -2

y=

both equations are

satisfied.
–
2x

Bro Tip: To sketch a straight line, just -4

pick two values of 𝑥. If we’re
sketching 2𝑥 − 𝑦 = −1, say we pick
𝑥 = 2, then 4 − 𝑦 = −1 and thus Click to sketch
𝑦 = 5. Choose another value of 𝑥 -6
and connect up.
Test Your Understanding
Copy the axis provided, and sketch the given lines on them*.
Hence solve the simultaneous equations.
𝑦 𝑦
Q1 𝑦 = 2𝑥 − 2 𝑥+𝑦 =4 Q2 𝑦−𝑥 =1 𝑦 = −3𝑥 + 5
5 5

4 4

3 3

2 2
𝑥 = 2, 𝑦 = 2 𝑥 = 1, 𝑦 = 2
1 1

𝑥 𝑥
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

* Remember that the easiest way is to pick two points and join up, e.g. when 𝑥 = 0 and when 𝑦 = 0.
www.wolframalpha.com
Thinking graphically…
For two simultaneous equations, when would we have…

Lines are parallel but not

0 solutions for 𝑥 and 𝑦? the same.
?

Infinitely many solutions Lines are the same.

e.g.
for 𝑥 and 𝑦? 𝑥+𝑦 =2
?
2𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 4
Exercise 1
1 For each of the following, sketch axis for 𝑥 from
0 to 6 and 𝑦 from 0 to 6. Sketch the two lines on
your axis and use them to estimate the solution
to the simultaneous equations.
3 For each of the following, sketch axis for 𝑥 from
-5 to 5 and 𝑦 from -5 to 5. Sketch the two lines
on your axis and use them to estimate the
solution to the simultaneous equations.

a 𝑥+𝑦 =5 a 𝑥+𝑦 =2
𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 7 𝑥 − 3𝑦 = −8
?
𝒙 = 𝟑, 𝒚 = 𝟐
?
𝒙 = −𝟏, 𝒚 = 𝟑

b 𝑥=3
b 𝑥−𝑦 =5
𝑥+𝑦 =5 2𝑥 + 𝑦 = 4
?
𝒙 = 𝟑, 𝒚 = 𝟐
?
𝒙 = 𝟑, 𝒚 = −𝟐

c 2𝑥 + 3𝑦 = 11 3𝑥 − 2𝑦 = 10
3𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 9 c 𝑥 + 4𝑦 = 1
?
𝒙 = 𝟏, 𝒚 = 𝟑
𝒙 = 𝟑, 𝒚 = −?
𝟏
𝟐
2 Consider the simultaneous equations:
𝑦 = 𝑎𝑥 + 3 N Given that:
𝑦 = 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑘 𝑦 = 𝑥!
where 𝑎, 𝑏 and 𝑘 are constants. By thinking 𝑥+𝑦 =1
about the lines corresponding to the equations, Sketch suitable lines to estimate the solutions
under what conditions will we have: to these simultaneous equations.
a) Infinitely many solutions for 𝑥 and 𝑦? 𝒙 = −𝟏. 𝟔𝟏, 𝒚 = 𝟐. 𝟔𝟐
𝒂 = 𝒃, 𝒌 = 𝟑 ? ?
𝒙 = 𝟎. 𝟔𝟏𝟖, 𝒚 = 𝟎. 𝟑𝟖𝟐
b) No solutions:
𝒂 = 𝒃, 𝒌 ≠ 𝟑
?
Three methods of solving simultaneous equations

by substitution

graphically

by elimination
METHOD #2: Solving by Elimination
By either adding or subtracting the equations, we can ‘eliminate’ one of the variables.
Bro Tip: I strongly urge you to
2𝑥 + 𝑦 = 6 1 number your equations. This
becomes crucial when you have
3𝑥 − 𝑦 = 9 2 three equations/three
unknowns, so that you can
indicate which equations you
5𝑥 = 15 1 + 2 are combining.

𝑥=3 ?Obtain by substituting

𝑦=0 your known 𝑥 into one
of the two equations.

4𝑥 + 𝑦 = 6 1

6𝑥 + 𝑦 = 4 2

2𝑥 = −2 2 - 1

𝑥 = ?−1
𝑦 = 10
Solving by Elimination

5𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 13
2𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 4
𝑥 = 3, 𝑦? = −1

2𝑥 + 3𝑦 = 5 You can solve in 2

different ways:
5𝑥 − 2𝑦 = −16 •Eliminating 𝑥.
𝟒𝒙 + 𝟔𝒚 = 𝟏𝟎 1 •Eliminating 𝑦.
𝟏𝟓𝒙 − 𝟔𝒚 = −𝟒𝟖 2

𝟏𝟗𝒙 =?−𝟑𝟖 1 + 2
𝒙 = −𝟐
𝒚 =𝟑
Test Your Understanding

𝑥 + 3𝑦 = 10 𝑥 = 4,?𝑦 = 2
2𝑥 − 5𝑦 = −2

𝑥 − 𝑦 = −6
𝑥 = −1,? 𝑦 = 5
3𝑥 − 2𝑦 = −13

3𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 19 𝑥 = 9, 𝑦? = −4
2𝑥 + 3𝑦 = 6

If you finish quickly:

𝑥1 − 𝑧 − 𝑦1 =8 𝟐𝒙𝟐 = 𝟏𝟖 → 𝒙 = ±𝟑 1 + 2

𝑥 1 + 𝑧 + 𝑦 1 = 10 −𝟐𝒚𝟐 = −𝟒 → ?𝒚 = ± 𝟐 1 + 3

−𝑥 1 + 𝑧 − 𝑦 1 = −12 𝟐𝒛 = −𝟐 → 𝒛 = −𝟏 2 + 3
Elimination by other means
[Kangaroo Grey 2013 Q6] The positive integers 𝑥,𝑦 and 𝑧 satisfy
𝑥𝑦 = 14
𝑦𝑧 = 10
𝑥𝑧 = 35
What is the value of 𝑥+𝑦+𝑧?

Multiplying the equations:

𝒙𝟐 𝒚𝟐 𝒛𝟐 = 𝟒𝟗𝟎𝟎
𝒙𝒚𝒛 = ?𝟕𝟎
Thus 𝒛 = 𝟓, 𝒙 = 𝟕, 𝒚 = 𝟐
𝒙 + 𝒚 + 𝒛 = 𝟏𝟒
 Exercise 2
[Cayley 2004 Q2] Mars, his wife Venus and
1 Solve the following by 3 a 4𝑥 − 3𝑦 = 15 N1
grandson Pluto have a combined age of 192.
elimination. 2𝑥 + 2𝑦 = −3 The ages of Mars and Pluto together total 30
𝟑
a 𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 4
3𝑥 − 2𝑦 = 4
𝒙 = , 𝒚 = −𝟑
𝟐 ? years more than Venus’ age. The ages of
Venus and Pluto together total 4 years more
than Mars’s age. Find their three ages.
𝒙 = 𝟐, 𝒚 ?
=𝟏 b 𝑥 + 6𝑦 = 3 Hint: You can form 3 equations with 3 unknowns
3𝑥 − 3𝑦 = −5
𝟐 ?
Mars = 94, Venus = 81, Pluto = 17

b 2𝑥 − 𝑦 = 7
𝒙 = −𝟏, 𝒚 =
𝟑? N2 [Cayley 2012 Q3] Three loaves of bread, five
5𝑥 − 𝑦 = 16 cartons of milk and four jars of jam cost
𝒙 = 𝟑, 𝒚 = −𝟏 c 5𝑥 − 4𝑦 = 23 £10.10. Five loaves of bread, nine cartons of
? 4𝑥 − 3𝑦 = 18 milk and seven jars of jam cost £18.20. How

c 6𝑥 − 𝑦 = 1 ?
𝒙 = 𝟑, 𝒚 = −𝟐 much does it cost to buy one loaf of bread,
one carton of milk and one jar of jam?
2𝑥 + 𝑦 = 3
𝟏 4
Two cats and a dog cost
£91. Three cats and two
Solution: £2
?
𝒙 = , 𝒚?= 𝟐 dogs cost £159. How much N3 [Maclaurin 2006 Q2] Find all integer values
𝟐 does a cat cost? that satisfy the following equations:
𝑥 ! + 𝑦 ! = 𝑥 − 2𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦
d 5𝑥 + 𝑦 = −7
£23
? 𝑥 ! − 𝑦 ! = 𝑥 + 2𝑥𝑦 − 𝑦
3𝑥 + 4𝑦 = 6 Solve: Adding:
5 𝟐𝒙𝟐 = 𝟐𝒙
𝒙 = −𝟐, 𝒚 = 𝟑 𝑎! + 𝑏! = 30
? 𝑎! − 𝑏! = 20 𝒙 = 𝟎 𝒐𝒓 𝟏

[IMC 2004 Q5] The sum of

2 6
two numbers is 2. The
difference between them is
4. What is their product? -3
?
𝒂 = ±𝟓, 𝒃 = ± 𝟓
𝟐
When 𝒙 = 𝟎, 𝒚 = 𝒚 → 𝒚 = 𝟎 𝒐𝒓 − 𝟏
?
When 𝒙 = 𝟏, 𝟏 + 𝒚𝟐 = 𝟏 − 𝟐𝒚 + 𝒚
Solve 𝑥 ! 𝑦 = 1, 𝑦 ! 𝑧 = 128,
𝑧 ! 𝑥 = 32 𝒚𝟐 = −𝒚
𝟏 𝒚 = −𝟏 𝒐𝒓 𝟎
? 𝟐 ?
𝒙 = , 𝒚 = 𝟒, 𝒛 = 𝟖 Thus 𝒙, 𝒚 = 𝟎, 𝟎 , 𝟎, −𝟏 , 𝟏, −𝟏 , 𝟏, 𝟎
Three methods of solving simultaneous equations

by substitution

graphically

by elimination
METHOD #3: Solving by Substitution
We currently have two equations both involving two variables.

𝟑𝒙 − 𝟐𝒚 = 𝟎
𝟐𝒙 + 𝒚 = 𝟕
Perhaps we could put one equation in terms of 𝒙 or 𝒚, then substitute this expression
into the other. Why do you think we chose this
equation to rearrange?
𝟐𝒙 + 𝒚 = 𝟕 𝒚 = 𝟕 – 𝟐𝒙
?
𝟑𝒙 – 𝟐𝒚 = 𝟎
𝟑𝒙 – 𝟐(𝟕 − 𝟐𝒙) = 𝟎
𝟑𝒙 – 𝟏𝟒 + 𝟒𝒙 = 𝟎
𝟕𝒙 – 𝟏𝟒 = 𝟎 ?
𝟕𝒙 = 𝟏𝟒
𝒙 = 𝟐
Then 𝒚 = 𝟑
Check Your Understanding
Solve for 𝑥 and 𝑦, using substitution.

2𝑥 + 𝑦 = 5 3𝑥 − 2𝑦 = 16
𝑥 + 3𝑦 = 5 𝑥+𝑦 =2

Answer: Answer:
x = 2,?y = 1 𝒙 = 𝟒, 𝒚? = −𝟐
Exercise 3
Use substitution only to solve the following simultaneous equations.
A
[Cayley] James, Alison and Vivek go into a
1 a 𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 5 2 5
𝑥 shop to buy some sweets. James spends
2𝑥 + 3𝑦 = 8 £1 on four Fudge Bars, a Sparkle and a
?
𝒙 = 𝟏, 𝒚 = 𝟐
𝑥
3𝑦
C Chomper. Alison spends 70p on three
Chompers, two Fudge Bars and a Sparkle.
Vivek spends 50p on two Sparkles and a
b −2𝑥 + 𝑦 = 5 Fudge Bar. What is the cost of a Sparkle?
3𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 3 B
𝒙 = −𝟏, 𝒚 = 𝟑
?
The angle at 𝐴 is 12° greater than the
angle at 𝐶. Find 𝑥 and 𝑦.
Sparkle = 15p
?
𝟏

c 2𝑥 + 𝑦 = 5 ?
𝒙 = 𝟔𝟒, 𝒚 = 𝟏𝟕
𝟑 N1 [Maclaurin] Solve the simultaneous
equations:
𝑥 + 3𝑦 = 5 Gus wants to buy 80 Ferraris, some 𝑥+𝑦 =3
3
?
𝒙 = 𝟐, 𝒚 = 𝟏 yellow and some red. He must spend
the whole of the £20m of his weekly
𝑥# + 𝑦# = 9

d 𝑎 + 4𝑏 = 6
pocket money. He buys 𝑦 yellow
Ferraris at £40k and 𝑟 red Ferraris at
𝒙 = 𝟏, 𝒚 = 𝟐
𝒙 = 𝟐, 𝒚 = 𝟏 ?
(You must have proved algebraically, using
8𝑏 − 𝑎 = −3 £320k. How many Ferraris of each type substitution, that these are the only solutions)
𝟏 did he buy?
?
𝒂 = 𝟓, 𝒃 =
𝟒
𝒚 + 𝒓 = 𝟖𝟎
?
𝟒𝟎𝒚 + 𝟑𝟐𝟎𝒓 = 𝟐𝟎 𝟎𝟎𝟎 N2 [Maclaurin] Solve:
𝒓 = 𝟔𝟎, 𝒚 = 𝟐𝟎 𝑥$ − 𝑦$ = 5
5𝑐 − 𝑑 − 11 = 0 𝑥+𝑦 =1
e £13 £19 £17 𝟑 𝟏
4𝑑 + 3𝑐 = −5
𝟑𝟗 𝟓𝟖
4 What is the 𝒙 = ,𝒚 = −
𝟐 𝟐 ?
𝒄=
𝟐𝟑 ?
,𝒅 = −
𝟐𝟑
cost of a cat?
£1
(Hint: If after substitution you end up with a cubic
equation, you can sometimes factorise it by
? factorising the first two terms and the last two terms
first separately)
Three methods of solving simultaneous equations
(you’ll have to
wait for Further SECRET LEVEL
Maths A Level for by matrices
this one)

by substitution

graphically

by elimination