SIMULTANEOUS LINEAR EQUATIONS

Consider the following two equations in two unknowns :

2x + 3y = 8 -------------- (1)

5x – y = 3 -------------- (2)

From (1) we get

2x = 3y + 8

x = (3/2)y + 4 ---------------------- (3)

From (2) we get

5x = y + 3

x = (1/5)y + (3/5) ---------------------- (4)

Note that simultaneity means that both the equations (1) and (2) are to be satisfied
by the same values of x and y. Therefore two expressions for ‘x’, namely, (3) and
(4) should be the same. Hence, it follows that

(3/2)y + 4 = (1/5)y + (3/5) ------------------ (5)

To solve equation (5), multiply it by 10. We get

15 y + 40 = 2y + 6

 15y – 2y = 40 + 6

 17y = 34

 y =2
We substitute this value of ‘y’ in either equation (1) or (2). Doing so in (1), we get

2x + 3·(2) = 8

 2x + 6 = 8

 2x = 8 – 6

 2x = 2

 x=1

Hence the solution of simultaneous equations (1) and (2) is

x = 1 and y = 2
Elimination Method :
2x + 3y = 8 -------------- (1)

5x – y = 3 -------------- (2)

We eliminate ‘x’. Consider coefficients of ‘x’ in both equations and their LCM.
The coefficients are ‘2’ and ‘5’ and the their LCM is 10.

(1)  5 gives : 10x + 15y = 40 --------------------- (3)

(2)  2 gives : 10x  2y = 6 --------------------- (4)

Subtract (4) from (3), we get

17y = 34

 y = 2

Substituting in (1) or (2), we get the solution

Elimination Method :
Consider two linear equations in two variables.
‘Multiplying each of the equations by suitable non-zero constant
and by subtraction or addition eliminate one of the unknowns.’
Example : Solve 2x  5y = 3 and 3x  2y = 5.

Solution : We have

2x  5y = 3 ------------------- (1)

and 3x  2y = 5 ------------------ (2)

Here, we will eliminate the variable y, so we find the LCM of the coefficients of y.

LCM (5, 2) = 10.

So, multiply equation (1) by 2 and equation (2) by 5. So, we get

(1)  2 gives 4x  10y = 6 -------------- (3)

(2)  5 gives 15x  10y = 25 ------------- (4)

Now, subtracting equation (3) from (4), we have

(15x  10y)  (4x  10y) = 25  6

 15x  10y  4x + 10y = 19

 (15x  4x) + (10y + 10y) = 19

 11x + 0 = 19

 x = 19/11

Now, substituting this value of x in (1), we have

2(19/11)  5y = 3

 38/11  5y = 3
 5y = 38/11  3

 5y = (38  33) / 11

 y = 1/11

Hence the solution of the given simultaneous equations is

x = 19/11 and y = 1/11

Exercise : Solve each of the following simultaneous equations :

(i) 4x + 5y = 10 and 6x  2y = 0
(ii) x  3y = 5 and 2x + 5y = 4
(iii) 7x  4y = 0 and 2x  y = 1
Example : Solve 3x + 4y = 2 and 6x + 8y = 3

Solution : We have

3x + 4y = 2 -------------------- (1)

6x + 8y = 3 ----------------------- (2)

Multiply equation (1) by 2, we get

6x + 8y = 4 -------------------- (3)

6x + 8y = 3 ----------------------- (4)

Subtract equation (4) from equation (3), we get

6x + 8y = 4 -------------------- (5)

0·x + 0·y = 3 ----------------------- (6)

There are no values of ‘x’ and ‘y’ which satisfy equation (6)

In the process, when we come across a system of linear equations, which contains
such equation, we conclude that given system of linear equations has no solutions.
That is, the system is inconsistent.
Example : solve 12x – 3y = 6 and 4x + y = 2

Solution : Consider

12x – 3y = 6 -------------------- (1)

4x + y = 2 --------------------- (2)

Multiply equation (2) by 3, we get

12x – 3y = 6 -------------------- (3)

12x + 3y = 6 --------------------- (4)

By subtracting equation (4) from equation (3), we get

12x – 3y = 6 -------------------- (5)

0·x + 0·y = 0 --------------------- (6)

Equation (6) is an identity. Hence, it doesn’t contribute to the solution of the

system.

So, consider equation (5) only. Rewriting equation (5), we get

1 1
𝑥 = 𝑦 + ------------------- (7)
4 2

Thus, if we give any value to ‘y’, we obtain corresponding value of ‘x’.

For example :

(i) Take y = 2, we obtain x = 1

3
(ii) Take y = 1, we obtain x =
4
1
(iii) Take y = 0, we obtain 𝑥 =
2
1
(iv) Take y = 1, we obtain 𝑥 =
4

Hence, for every value of ‘y’, we obtain corresponding value of ‘x’.

Each pair of values of ‘x’ and ‘y’ thus obtained becomes a solution of the given
system. In other words, there exist infinitely many solutions for the given system
of linear equations.
There are three possibilities :

(i) The system has unique solution.

(ii) The system has infinitely many solutions.
(iii) The system doesn’t have any solutions. That is, the system is inconsistent
Unique Solutions :

Consider the system of linear equations

𝑎1 𝑥 + 𝑏1 𝑦 + 𝑐1 = 0 ---------------------------- (1)

𝑎2 𝑥 + 𝑏2 𝑦 + 𝑐2 = 0 ---------------------------- (2)

We eliminate ‘y’.

Hence multiply equation (1) by b2 and equation (2) by b1.

We get

𝑏2 𝑎1 𝑥 + 𝑏2 𝑏1 𝑦 + 𝑏2 𝑐1 = 0 ---------------------------- (3)
𝑏1 𝑎2 𝑥 + 𝑏1 𝑏2 𝑦 + 𝑏1 𝑐2 = 0 ---------------------------- (4)

Subtracting equation (4) from equation (3), we get

(𝑏2 𝑎1 − 𝑏1 𝑎2 )𝑥 + (𝑏2 𝑐1 − 𝑏1 𝑐2 ) = 0 ----------------- (5)

Let 𝑏2 𝑎1 − 𝑏1 𝑎2 ≠ 0 , then, from (5), it follows that

𝑏1 𝑐2 − 𝑏2 𝑐1
𝑥 =
𝑎1 𝑏2 − 𝑎2 𝑏1
In similar manner, we eliminate ‘x’, we obtain
𝑐1 𝑎2 − 𝑐2 𝑎1
𝑦 = ,
𝑎1 𝑏2 − 𝑎2 𝑏1

Hence, the solution of the given system of equations is

𝑏1 𝑐2 − 𝑏2 𝑐1 𝑐1 𝑎2 − 𝑐2 𝑎1
𝑥 = and 𝑦 =
𝑎1 𝑏2 − 𝑎2 𝑏1 𝑎1 𝑏2 − 𝑎2 𝑏1

𝑎1 𝑏1
If 𝑏2 𝑎1 − 𝑏1 𝑎2 = 0, if and only if = .
𝑎2 𝑏2

𝑎1 𝑏1 𝑐1
Further, if = = , then the two lines (represented by the
𝑎2 𝑏2 𝑐2
equations) are coincident. That is there are infinitely many solutions.

𝑎1 𝑏1 𝑐1
if = ≠ , then the two straight lines are distinct and are
𝑎2 𝑏2 𝑐2
parallel. So, the system of equations does not have solutions, or the
system is inconsistent
Problems

(1) 2x + 3y = 7
x + 2y = 3

(2) x – y = 5
2x + y = 4

(3) x – y = 5
2x 2y = 4

(4) x – y = 5
2x 2y = 10
Three Equations in three Variables

Example : Solve the following system of linear equations

x + y + 2z = 9 E1

2x + 4y  3z = 1 E2

3x + 6y  5z = 0 E3

E2 – 2E1 and E3 – 3E1 give

x + y + 2z = 9 E1

2y  7z = 17 E2

3y  11z = 27 E3

1 1
Multiple second equation by ( ), That is E2 ×
2 2

x + y + 2z = 9 E1
7 17
𝑦 − 𝑧 = − E2
2 2

3y  11z = 27 E3

Next E3 – 3E2
 x + y + 2z = 9 E1
7 17
𝑦 − 𝑧 = − E2
2 2

1 3
− 𝑧 = − E3
2 2

E3 (2)

x + y + 2z = 9 E1
7 17
𝑦 − 𝑧 = − E2
2 2

z = 3 E3

Next E1 – E2
11 35
𝑥 + 𝑧 = E1
2 2

7 17
𝑦 − 𝑧 = − E2
2 2

𝑧 = 3 E3

Next E1 – (11/2)E3 and E2 + (7/2)E3

 x = 1

y = 2

z = 3

Hence, the solution is x = 1, y = 2 and z = 3

Elimination Method :
The Basic method for solving a system of linear equations is to replace the given
system that has the same solution set, but which is easier to solve. This new system
is generally obtained in a series of steps by applying the following three operations
to eliminate the unknowns (variables) systematically.

1. Multiply an equation though by a nonzero constant.

2. Interchange two equations.
3. Add a multiple of one equation to another.
Example : Solve : 2x – y + 3z = 5 E1

x + 2y + z = 1 E2

3x + y + 4z = 6 E3

Interchange E1 and E2

x + 2y + z = 1 E1

2x – y + 3z = 5 E2

3x + y + 4z = 6 E3

E2 – 2E1 and E3 – 3E1

x + 2y + z = 1 E1

–5y + z = 3 E2

–5y + z = 3 E3

E3  E2 gives
 x + 2y + z = 1 E1

–5y + z = 3 E2

0 y + 0z = 0 E3

OR

x + 2y + z = 1 E1

–5y + z = 3 E2

It follows that there are essentially only two equations in the system.

(1/5)E2 gives

x + 2y + z = 1 E1

y  (1/5) z = 3/5 E2

E1 – 2E2 gives

x + 0y + (7/5)z = 11/5 E1

y  (1/5) z = 3/5 E2
Rewriting the above equations, we get

7 11
𝑥 = − 𝑧 +
5 5
1 3
𝑦 = 𝑧 −
5 5

Substitute z = 0, we get x = 11/5 and y = (3/5)

Thus the solution is

x = 11/5 , y = (3/5) and z = 0

Substitute z = 1, we get the solution x = 4/5 , y = 2/5 and z = 1

Solve :

x + y + 2z = 9

2x + 4y  3z = 1

3x + 6y  5z = 0

x + y + 2z = 9 1 1 2 9
2x + 4y  3z = 1 2 4 3 1
3x + 6y  5z = 0 3 6 5 0

x + y + 2z = 9 1 1 2 9
2y  7z = 17 0 2 7 17
3x + 6y  5z = 0 3 6 5 0

x + y + 2z = 9 1 1 2 9
2y  7z = 17 0 2 7 17
3y  11z = 27 0 3 11 27

x + y + 2z = 9 1 1 2 9
y  7/2z = 17/2 0 1 7/2 17/2
3y  11z = 27 0 3 11 27

x + y + 2z = 9 1 1 2 9
y  7/2z = 17/2 0 1 7/2 17/2
 1/2z = 3/2 0 0 1/2 3/2
 1 1 2 9
x + y + 2z = 9 0 1 7/2 17/2
y  7/2z = 17/2 0 0 1 3
z = 3

x = 1 1 0 0 1
y = 2 0 1 0 2
z =3 0 0 1 3