CHAPTER 3

PAIR OF LINEAR EQUATIONS IN TWO VARIABLES

(A) Main Concepts and Results

• Two linear equations in the same two variables are said to form a pair of linear
equations in two variables.

• The most general form of a pair of linear equations is

a1 x + b1 y + c1 = 0
a2 x + b 2 y + c2 = 0,

where a 1, a2, b 1, b 2, c1, c2 are real numbers, such that a12 b12 0, a22 b22 0 .

• A pair of linear equations is consistent if it has a solution – either a unique or

infinitely many.

In case of infinitely many solutions, the pair of linear equations is also said to be
dependent. Thus, in this case, the pair of linear equations is dependent and consistent.

• A pair of linear equations is inconsistent, if it has no solution.

• Let a pair of linear equations in two variables be a 1 x + b1y + c1 = 0 and

a2 x + b2y + c2 = 0.

a1 b1
(I) If , then
a2 b2
PAIR OF LINEAR EQUATIONS IN TWO VARIABLES 17

(i) the pair of linear equations is consistent,

(ii) the graph will be a pair of lines intersecting at a unique point, which is the
solution of the pair of equations.

a1 b1 c1
(II) If , then
a2 b2 c2

(i) the pair of linear equations is inconsistent,

(ii) the graph will be a pair of parallel lines and so the pair of equations will
have no solution.

a1 b1 c1
(III) If , then
a2 b2 c2

(i) the pair of linear equations is dependent, and consistent,

(ii) the graph will be a pair of coincident lines. Each point on the lines will be a
solution, and so the pair of equations will have infinitely many solutions.

• A pair of linear equations can be solved algebraically by any of the following

methods:

(i) Substitution Method

(ii) Elimination Method
(iii) Cross- multiplication Method

• The pair of linear equations can also be solved geometrically/graphically.

(B) Multiple Choice Questions

Choose the correct answer from the given four options:

24
Sample Question 1 : The pair of equations 5x – 15y = 8 and 3x – 9y = has
5
(A) one solution (B) two solutions (C) infinitely many solutions
(D) no solution
Solution : Answer (C)
18 EXEMPLAR PROBLEMS

Sample Question 2 : The sum of the digits of a two-digit number is 9. If 27 is added

to it, the digits of the number get reversed. The number is
(A) 25 (B) 72 (C) 63 (D) 36
Solution : Answer (D)
EXERCISE 3.1
Choose the correct answer from the given four options:
1. Graphically, the pair of equations
6x – 3y + 10 = 0
2x – y + 9 = 0
represents two lines which are
(A) intersecting at exactly one point. (B) intersecting at exactly two points.
(C) coincident. (D) parallel.
2. The pair of equations x + 2y + 5 = 0 and –3x – 6y + 1 = 0 have
(A) a unique solution (B) exactly two solutions
(C) infinitely many solutions (D) no solution
3. If a pair of linear equations is consistent, then the lines will be
(A) parallel (B) always coincident
(C) intersecting or coincident (D) always intersecting
4. The pair of equations y = 0 and y = –7 has
(A) one solution (B) two solutions
(C) infinitely many solutions (D) no solution
5. The pair of equations x = a and y = b graphically represents lines which are
(A) parallel (B) intersecting at (b, a)
(C) coincident (D) intersecting at (a, b)
6. For what value of k, do the equations 3x – y + 8 = 0 and 6x – ky = –16 represent
coincident lines?
1 1
(A) (B) – (C) 2 (D) –2
2 2
PAIR OF LINEAR EQUATIONS IN TWO VARIABLES 19

7. If the lines given by 3x + 2ky = 2 and 2x + 5y + 1 = 0 are parallel, then the value
of k is

–5 2 15 3
(A) (B) (C) (D)
4 5 4 2
8. The value of c for which the pair of equations cx – y = 2 and 6x – 2y = 3 will have
infinitely many solutions is
(A) 3 (B) – 3 (C) –12 (D) no value
9. One equation of a pair of dependent linear equations is –5x + 7y = 2. The second
equation can be
(A) 10x + 14y + 4 = 0 (B) –10x – 14y + 4 = 0
(C) –10x + 14y + 4 = 0 (D) 10x – 14y = –4
10. A pair of linear equations which has a unique solution x = 2, y = –3 is
(A) x + y = –1 (B) 2x + 5y = –11
2x – 3y = –5 4x + 10y = –22
(C) 2x – y = 1 (D) x – 4y –14 = 0
3x + 2y = 0 5x – y – 13 = 0
11. If x = a, y = b is the solution of the equations x – y = 2 and x + y = 4, then the values
of a and b are, respectively
(A) 3 and 5 (B) 5 and 3
(C) 3 and 1 (D) –1 and –3
12. Aruna has only Re 1 and Rs 2 coins with her. If the total number of coins that she
has is 50 and the amount of money with her is Rs 75, then the number of Re 1 and
Rs 2 coins are, respectively
(A) 35 and 15 (B) 35 and 20
(C) 15 and 35 (D) 25 and 25
13. The father’s age is six times his son’s age. Four years hence, the age of the father
will be four times his son’s age. The present ages, in years, of the son and the
father are, respectively
(A) 4 and 24 (B) 5 and 30
(C) 6 and 36 (D) 3 and 24
20 EXEMPLAR PROBLEMS

(C) Short Answer Questions with Reasoning

Sample Question 1: Is it true to say that the pair of equations

1 1
– x + 2y + 2 = 0 and x – y –1 0
2 4
has a unique solution? Justify your answer.
Solution : Yes.

a1 –1 b 2
Here, = –2, 1 =–8
a2 1 b2 1
–
2 4

a1 b1
As , the pair of equations has a unique solution.
a2 b2

Sample Question 2 : Do the equations 4x + 3y – 1 = 5 and 12x + 9y = 15

represent a pair of coincident lines? Justify your answer.
Solution : No.
We may rewrite the equations as
4x + 3y = 6
12x + 9y = 15

a1 1 b1 1 c1 2
Here, = , = and
a2 3 b2 3 c2 5

a1 b1 c1
As = ≠ , the given equations do not represent a pair of coincident lines.
a2 b2 c2

Sample Question 3 : Is the pair of equations x + 2y – 3 = 0 and 6y + 3x – 9 = 0

consistent? Justify your answer.
Solution : Yes.
Rearranging the terms in the equations, we get
x + 2y – 3 = 0
3x + 6y – 9 = 0
PAIR OF LINEAR EQUATIONS IN TWO VARIABLES 21

a1 1 b1 1 c1 1 a b1 c1
Here, , , . As 1 , the pair of equations is consistent.
a2 3 b2 3 c2 3 a2 b2 c2

EXERCISE 3.2
1. Do the following pair of linear equations have no solution? Justify your answer.
(i) 2x + 4y = 3 (ii) x = 2y
12y + 6x = 6 y = 2x

(iii) 3x + y – 3 = 0
2
2x + y=2
3
2. Do the following equations represent a pair of coincident lines? Justify your answer.
1
(i) 3x + y= 3 (ii) –2x – 3y = 1
7
7x + 3y = 7 6y + 4x = – 2
x 2
(iii) y =0
2 5
5
4x + 8y + =0
16
3. Are the following pair of linear equations consistent? Justify your answer.
3 1
(i) –3x– 4y = 12 (ii) x–y=
5 2
1 1
4y + 3x = 12 x – 3y =
5 6
(iii) 2ax + by = a (iv) x + 3y = 11
4ax + 2by – 2a = 0; a, b ≠ 0 2 (2x + 6y) = 22
4. For the pair of equations
λ x + 3y = –7
2x + 6y = 14
22 EXEMPLAR PROBLEMS

to have infinitely many solutions, the value of λ should be 1. Is the statement true?
Give reasons.
5. For all real values of c, the pair of equations
x – 2y = 8
5x – 10y = c
have a unique solution. Justify whether it is true or false.
6. The line represented by x = 7 is parallel to the x–axis. Justify whether the
statement is true or not.
(D) Short Answer Questions
Sample Question 1 : For which values of p and q, will the following pair of linear
equations have infinitely many solutions?
4x + 5y = 2
(2p + 7q) x + (p + 8q) y = 2q – p + 1.
Solution :

a1 4
Here, a = 2 p + 7q
2

b1 5
=
b2 p + 8q

c1 2
=
c2 2q – p + 1

For a pair of linear equations to have infinitely many solutions

a1 b1 c1
= =
a2 b2 c2

4 5 2
So, = =
2 p + 7 q p + 8q 2q – p +1

4 5 4 2
So, = and =
2 p + 7 q p + 8q 2 p + 7 q 2q – p +1
PAIR OF LINEAR EQUATIONS IN TWO VARIABLES 23

i.e., 4p + 32q = 10p + 35q and 8q – 4p + 4 = 4p + 14q

i.e., 6p + 3q = 0 and 8p + 6q = 4
i.e., q = –2p (1) and 4p + 3q = 2 (2)
Substituting the value of q obtained from Equation(1) in Equation(2), we get
4p – 6p = 2
or p = –1
Substituting the value of p in Equation (1), we get
q=2
So, for p = –1, q = 2, the given pair of linear equations will have infinitely many
solutions.
Sample Question 2: Solve the following pair of linear equations:
21x + 47y = 110
47x + 21y = 162
Solution: We have
21x + 47y = 110 (1)
47x + 21y = 162 (2)
Multiplying Equation (1) by 47 and Equation (2) by 21, we get
987x + 2209 y = 5170 (3)
987x + 441y = 3402 (4)
Subtracting Equation (4) from Equation (3), we get
1768y = 1768
or y=1
Substituting the value of y in Equation (1), we get
21x + 47 = 110
or 21x = 63
or x=3
So, x = 3, y = 1
Alternative Solution: We have
21x + 47y = 110 (1)
24 EXEMPLAR PROBLEMS

47x + 21y = 162 (2)

Adding Equations (1) and (2), we have
68x + 68y = 272
or x+y=4 (5)
Subtracting Equation (1) from Equation (2), we have
26x – 26y = 52
or x–y=2 (6)
On adding and subtracting Equations (5) and (6), we get
x = 3, y = 1
Sample Question 3 : Draw the graphs of the pair of linear equations x – y + 2 = 0
and 4x – y – 4 = 0. Calculate the area of the triangle formed by the lines so drawn
and the x-axis.
Solution :
For drawing the graphs of the given equations, we find two solutions of each of the
equations, which are given in Table 3.1
Table 3.1
x 0 –2 x 0 1
y=x+2 2 0 y = 4x – 4 –4 0
Plot the points A (0, 2), B (–2, 0), P (0, –4) and Q (1, 0) on the graph paper, and join
the points to form the lines AB and PQ as shown in Fig 3.1
PAIR OF LINEAR EQUATIONS IN TWO VARIABLES 25

We observe that there is a point R (2, 4) common to both the lines AB and PQ.
The triangle formed by these lines and the x- axis is BQR.
The vertices of this triangle are B (–2, 0), Q (1, 0) and R (2, 4).
We know that;

1
Area of triangle = Base × Altitude
2

Here, Base = BQ = BO + OQ = 2 + 1 = 3 units.

Altitude = RM = Ordinate of R = 4 units.

1
So, area of Δ BQR = × 3 × 4 = 6 sq. units.
2

EXERCISE 3.3
1. For which value(s) of λ , do the pair of linear equations
λ x + y = λ 2 and x + λ y = 1 have
(i) no solution?
(ii) infinitely many solutions?
(iii) a unique solution?
2. For which value(s) of k will the pair of equations
kx + 3y = k – 3
12x + ky = k
have no solution?
3. For which values of a and b, will the following pair of linear equations have
infinitely many solutions?
x + 2y = 1
(a – b)x + (a + b)y = a + b – 2
4. Find the value(s) of p in (i) to (iv) and p and q in (v) for the following pair of equations:
(i) 3x – y – 5 = 0 and 6x – 2y – p = 0,
if the lines represented by these equations are parallel.
26 EXEMPLAR PROBLEMS

(ii) – x + py = 1 and px – y = 1,
if the pair of equations has no solution.
(iii) – 3x + 5y = 7 and 2px – 3y = 1,

if the lines represented by these equations are intersecting at a unique point.

(iv) 2x + 3y – 5 = 0 and px – 6y – 8 = 0,
if the pair of equations has a unique solution.

(v) 2x + 3y = 7 and 2px + py = 28 – qy,

if the pair of equations have infinitely many solutions.

5. Two straight paths are represented by the equations x – 3y = 2 and –2x + 6y = 5.

Check whether the paths cross each other or not.

6. Write a pair of linear equations which has the unique solution x = – 1, y =3. How
many such pairs can you write?

y
7. If 2x + y = 23 and 4x – y = 19, find the values of 5y – 2x and – 2.
x

8. Find the values of x and y in the following rectangle [see Fig. 3.2].

9. Solve the following pairs of equations:

x y
(i) x + y = 3.3 (ii) 4
3 4
0.6 5x y
= –1, 3x – 2y ≠ 0 – 4
3x–2 y 6 8
PAIR OF LINEAR EQUATIONS IN TWO VARIABLES 27

6 1 1
(iii) 4x + = 15 (iv) – = –1
y 2x y
8 1 1
6x – = 14, y ≠ 0 = 8, x, y ≠ 0
y x 2y
x y
(v) 43x + 67y = – 24 (vi) = a+b
a b
x y
67x + 43y = 24 = 2, a, b ≠ 0
a2 b2
2xy 3
(vii) x y 2

xy −3
= , x + y ≠ 0, 2x – y ≠ 0
2 x – y 10

x y x y
10. Find the solution of the pair of equations – 1 = 0 and = 15.
10 5 8 6
Hence, find λ , if y = λ x + 5.
11. By the graphical method, find whether the following pair of equations are consistent
or not. If consistent, solve them.
(i) 3x + y + 4 = 0 (ii) x – 2y = 6
6x – 2y + 4 = 0 3x – 6y = 0
(iii) x + y = 3
3x + 3y = 9
12. Draw the graph of the pair of equations 2x + y = 4 and 2x – y = 4. Write the
vertices of the triangle formed by these lines and the y-axis. Also find the area of
this triangle.
13. Write an equation of a line passing through the point representing solution of the
pair of linear equations x+y = 2 and 2x–y = 1. How many such lines can we find?
14. If x+1 is a factor of 2x3 + ax2 + 2bx + 1, then find the values of a and b given that
2a–3b = 4.
15. The angles of a triangle are x, y and 40°. The difference between the two angles
x and y is 30°. Find x and y.
28 EXEMPLAR PROBLEMS

16. Two years ago, Salim was thrice as old as his daughter and six years later, he will
be four years older than twice her age. How old are they now?
17. The age of the father is twice the sum of the ages of his two children. After 20
years, his age will be equal to the sum of the ages of his children. Find the age of
the father.
18. Two numbers are in the ratio 5 : 6. If 8 is subtracted from each of the numbers, the
ratio becomes 4 : 5. Find the numbers.
19. There are some students in the two examination halls A and B. To make the
number of students equal in each hall, 10 students are sent from A to B. But if 20
students are sent from B to A, the number of students in A becomes double the
number of students in B. Find the number of students in the two halls.
20. A shopkeeper gives books on rent for reading. She takes a fixed charge for the
first two days, and an additional charge for each day thereafter. Latika paid
Rs 22 for a book kept for six days, while Anand paid Rs 16 for the book kept for
four days. Find the fixed charges and the charge for each extra day.
21. In a competitive examination, one mark is awarded for each correct answer while
1
mark is deducted for every wrong answer. Jayanti answered 120 questions
2
and got 90 marks. How many questions did she answer correctly?
22. The angles of a cyclic quadrilateral ABCD are
∠A = (6x + 10)°, ∠B = (5x)°
∠C = (x + y)°, ∠D = (3y – 10)°
Find x and y, and hence the values of the four angles.
(E) Long Answer Questions
Sample Question 1 : Draw the graphs of the lines x = –2 and y = 3. Write the
vertices of the figure formed by these lines, the x-axis and the y-axis. Also, find the
area of the figure.
Solution :
We know that the graph of x = –2 is a line parallel to y-axis at a distance of 2 units
to the left of it.
So, the line l is the graph of x = –2 [see Fig. 3.3]
PAIR OF LINEAR EQUATIONS IN TWO VARIABLES 29

The graph of y = 3 is a line parallel to the x-axis at a distance of 3 units above it.
So, the line m is the graph of y = 3.
The figure enclosed by the lines x = –2, y = 3, the x-axis and the y-axis is OABC,
which is a rectangle. (Why?)
A is a point on the y-axis at a distance of 3 units above the x-axis. So, the coordinates
of A are (0, 3);
C is a point on the x-axis at a distance of 2 units to the left of y-axis. So, the coordinates
of C are (–2, 0)
B is the solution of the pair of equations x = –2 and y = 3. So, the coordinates of B are
(–2, 3)
So, the vertices of the rectangle OABC are O (0, 0), A (0, 3), B (–2, 3), C (–2, 0)
The length and breadth of this rectangle are 2 units and 3 units, respectively.
As the area of a rectangle = length × breadth,
the area of rectangle OABC = 2 × 3 = 6 sq. units.
Sample Question 2: Determine, algebraically, the vertices of the triangle formed
by the lines
30 EXEMPLAR PROBLEMS

5x – y = 5, x + 2y = 1 and 6x + y = 17.
Solution:
The vertex of a triangle is the common solution of the two equations forming its two
sides. So, solving the given equations pairwise will give the vertices of the triangle.
From the given equations, we will have the following three pairs of equations:
5x – y = 5 and x + 2y = 1
x + 2y = 1 and 6x + y = 17
5x – y = 5 and 6x + y = 17
Solving the pair of equations
5x – y = 5
x + 2y = 1
we get, x = 1, y = 0
So, one vertex of the triangle is (1, 0)
Solving the second pair of equations
x + 2y = 1
6x + y = 17
we get x = 3, y = –1
So, another vertex of the triangle is (3, –1)
Solving the third pair of equations
5x – y = 5
6x + y = 17,
we get x = 2, y = 5.
So, the third vertex of the triangle is (2, 5). So, the three vertices of the triangle are
(1, 0), (3, –1) and (2, 5).
Sample Question 3 : Jamila sold a table and a chair for Rs 1050, thereby making a
profit of 10% on the table and 25% on the chair. If she had taken a profit of 25% on the
table and 10% on the chair she would have got Rs 1065. Find the cost price of each.
Solution : Let the cost price of the table be Rs x and the cost price of the chair
be Rs y.
PAIR OF LINEAR EQUATIONS IN TWO VARIABLES 31

The selling price of the table, when it is sold at a profit of 10%

10 110
= Rs x x Rs x
100 100

The selling price of the chair when it is sold at a profit of 25%

25 125
= Rs y y Rs y
100 100

110 125
So, x y 1050 (1)
100 100

⎛ 25 ⎞ 125
When the table is sold at a profit of 25%, its selling price = Rs ⎜ x + x ⎟ = Rs x
⎝ 100 ⎠ 100

⎛ 10 ⎞ 110
When the chair is sold at a profit of 10%, its selling price = Rs ⎜ y + y ⎟ = Rs y
⎝ 100 ⎠ 100

So, 125 110 (2)

x y 1065
100 100
From Equations (1) and (2), we get
110x + 125y = 105000
and 125x + 110y = 106500
On adding and subtracting these equations, we get
235x + 235y = 211500
and 15x – 15y = 1500
i.e., x+y = 900 (3)
and x – y = 100 (4)
Solving Equations (3) and (4), we get
x = 500, y = 400
So, the cost price of the table is Rs 500 and the cost price of the chair is Rs 400.
32 EXEMPLAR PROBLEMS

Sample Question 4: It can take 12 hours to fill a swimming pool using two pipes. If
the pipe of larger diameter is used for 4 hours and the pipe of smaller diameter for
9 hours, only half the pool can be filled.How long would it take for each pipe to fill the
pool separately?
Solution:
Let the time taken by the pipe of larger diameter to fill the pool be x hours and that
taken by the pipe of smaller diameter pipe alone be y hours.
In x hours, the pipe of larger diameter fills the pool.
1
So, in 1 hour the pipe of larger diameter fills part of the pool, and so, in 4 hours, the
x
4
pipe of larger diameter fills parts of the pool.
x
9
Similarly, in 9 hours, the pipe of smaller diameter fills parts of the pool.
y

According to the question,

4 9 1
(1)
x y 2
Also, using both the pipes, the pool is filled in 12 hours.
12 12
So, 1 (2)
x y

1 1
Let = u and v . Then Equations (1) and (2) become
x y

1
4u 9v (3)
2
12 u 12v 1 (4)
Multiplying Equation (3) by 3 and subtracting Equation (4) from it, we get

1 1
15v or v
2 30
PAIR OF LINEAR EQUATIONS IN TWO VARIABLES 33

1
Substituting the value of v in Equation (4), we get u
20
1 1
So, u ,v
20 30
1 1 1 1
So, ,
x 20 y 30

or, x = 20, y = 30.

So, the pipe of larger diameter alone can fill the pool in 20 hours and the pipe of smaller
diameter alone can fill the pool in 30 hours.

EXERCISE 3.4
1. Graphically, solve the following pair of equations:
2x + y = 6
2x – y + 2 = 0
Find the ratio of the areas of the two triangles formed by the lines representing
these equations with the x-axis and the lines with the y-axis.
2. Determine, graphically, the vertices of the triangle formed by the lines
y = x, 3y = x, x+y=8
3. Draw the graphs of the equations x = 3, x = 5 and 2x – y – 4 = 0. Also find the
area of the quadrilateral formed by the lines and the x–axis.
4. The cost of 4 pens and 4 pencil boxes is Rs 100. Three times the cost of a pen is
Rs 15 more than the cost of a pencil box. Form the pair of linear equations for the
above situation. Find the cost of a pen and a pencil box.
5. Determine, algebraically, the vertices of the triangle formed by the lines

3x – y 3
2x – 3y 2
x 2y 8
6. Ankita travels 14 km to her home partly by rickshaw and partly by bus. She takes
half an hour if she travels 2 km by rickshaw, and the remaining distance by bus.
34 EXEMPLAR PROBLEMS

On the other hand, if she travels 4 km by rickshaw and the remaining distance by
bus, she takes 9 minutes longer. Find the speed of the rickshaw and of the bus.
7. A person, rowing at the rate of 5 km/h in still water, takes thrice as much time in
going 40 km upstream as in going 40 km downstream. Find the speed of the
stream.
8. A motor boat can travel 30 km upstream and 28 km downstream in 7 hours. It can
travel 21 km upstream and return in 5 hours. Find the speed of the boat in still
water and the speed of the stream.
9. A two-digit number is obtained by either multiplying the sum of the digits by 8 and
then subtracting 5 or by multiplying the difference of the digits by 16 and then
adding 3. Find the number.
10. A railway half ticket costs half the full fare, but the reservation charges are the
same on a half ticket as on a full ticket. One reserved first class ticket from the
station A to B costs Rs 2530. Also, one reserved first class ticket and one reserved
first class half ticket from A to B costs Rs 3810. Find the full first class fare from
station A to B, and also the reservation charges for a ticket.
11. A shopkeeper sells a saree at 8% profit and a sweater at 10% discount, thereby,
getting a sum Rs 1008. If she had sold the saree at 10% profit and the sweater at
8% discount, she would have got Rs 1028. Find the cost price of the saree and the
list price (price before discount) of the sweater.
12. Susan invested certain amount of money in two schemes A and B, which offer
interest at the rate of 8% per annum and 9% per annum, respectively. She received
Rs 1860 as annual interest. However, had she interchanged the amount of
investments in the two schemes, she would have received Rs 20 more as annual
interest. How much money did she invest in each scheme?
13. Vijay had some bananas, and he divided them into two lots A and B. He sold the
first lot at the rate of Rs 2 for 3 bananas and the second lot at the rate of
Re 1 per banana, and got a total of Rs 400. If he had sold the first lot at the rate of
Re 1 per banana, and the second lot at the rate of Rs 4 for 5 bananas, his total
collection would have been Rs 460. Find the total number of bananas he had.