Solving a System of

Linear Equation in
Two Variables by
Substitution
Prepared by
Larry D. Bugaring
Let’s Think
In cooking a cake, suppose we don’t have an oven? What are we going to use as a
substitute?
or

You have cooked soup however it is so tasteless, unfortunately you don’t have a
salt, what are we going to use a substitute?

or
If you are in diet, what would like to eat as a substitute on
rice?

or
Let’s prepare
Evaluate the given algebraic expression
1. 5x – 16 + 2x + 1, when x = 7
2. 5x – 3 (x + 2) + 5x – 4 , when x = 2
3. [(x + 2) + 4x] + (2 – 2x), when x = -3
Solving a System of Linear Equation in Two
Variables by Substitution
Consider the system of linear equations

2x – y = 6

3x – 4y = 4

What value of x and y would make the linear equation true?

We can solve the above system of linear equations by using

SUBSTITUTION METHOD. This method works by solving one of the variable
and then substituting this to other equation for the chosen variable and solving for
each other.
 STEPS SOLUTION
1. Identify the given 2x – y = 6 eq 1
3x – 4y = 4 eq 2

2. Solve for y in terms of x in eq. 1 2x – y = 6

Substitute the results in eq. 2 y = 2x – 6

3x – 4y = 4
3x – 4(2x – 6) = 4

3. Solve for the value of x 3x – 4(2x – 6) = 4

3x – 8x + 24 = 4
-5x = - 20
x=4
If we substitute x = 4 in eq 1 we have
4. Substitute x = 4 in either eq 1 or eq 2 2x – y = 6
to solve for the value of y 2(4) – y = 6
8–y=6
-y = -2
y=2

So the solution to the system of linear equation is (4, 2)

Your turn
Find the solution to the system of linear equation
2x + 3y = 6
x – 5y = - 10
 STEPS SOLUTION
1. Identify the given 2x + 3y = 6 eq 1
x – 5y = - 10 eq 2
2. Solve for x in eq. 2 x – 5y = - 10
x =5y – 10 eq 3
3. Solve for the value of y to eq 1 Substitute the 2x + 3y = 6
results in eq. 2 2(5y – 10 ) + 3y = 6

10y – 20 + 3y = 6
13y = 26
y=2

4. Substitute y = 2 in either eq 1 , eq 2 or eq 3 to If we substitute y =2 in eq 3, we have

solve for the value of x x = 5y – 10
x = 5(2) – 10
x= 10 – 10
x=0

So the solution to the system of linear equation is (2, 0)

Group work
Solve the system of linear equations by using the substitution method

1. -2x + 3y = 6 4. x + y = 7 7. 2x = 2y - 2
3x - 5y = -11 x – 2y = -5 2x – y = 1

2. 3x + 5y = -11 5. 3x + y = 5
2x – 2y = 11 2x – y = 0

3. x = 5y – 4 6. 2x – y = 8
3x + y = 4 4x – y = 14
Solve each system by substitution, check your answers.

1. x + y=5, 2. 3x - 5y = -9 3. 4x + 3y = -13
x – y =-3 4x + 5y = 23 3x + 2y= 34
Assignment
1. y = 6x − 11
−2x − 3y = −7

2. 2x − 3y = −1
y=x−1

3. y = −3x + 5
5x − 4y = −3
 Thank you
for listening