GCSE Maths – Algebra

Simultaneous Equations
Worksheet

NOTES SOLUTIONS

This worksheet will show you how to work out different types of simultaneous
equations questions. Each section contains a worked example, a question
with hints and then questions for you to work through on your own.

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 Section A

Worked Example

Solve the following simultaneous equations by elimination:

5𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦 = 27
𝑥𝑥 + 2𝑦𝑦 = 9
Step 1: Choose which variable to eliminate, then multiply one whole equation to ensure that the
coefficient of the variable we are choosing to eliminate is the same in each equation.

For this example, we will eliminate the variable ‘𝑦𝑦’. To do this, we want to make sure that
the coefficient is the same in each equation. Therefore, we will multiply the first equation
by 2.

5𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦 = 27 → (× 2) → 10𝑥𝑥 + 2𝑦𝑦 = 54

Step 2: Add or subtract the two equations to eliminate the chosen variable.

We can subtract the second equation from the first to eliminate the ‘𝑦𝑦’ variable entirely.

(10𝑥𝑥 + 2𝑦𝑦 = 54)

− (𝑥𝑥 + 2𝑦𝑦 = 9)
9𝑥𝑥 = 45

Step 3: Solve for the remaining variable, then substitute the value of the known variable back into
the original equations to find the value of the eliminated variable.

We can solve for 𝑥𝑥:

9𝑥𝑥 = 45
𝑥𝑥 = 5
Now substitute this 𝑥𝑥 value back into one of the equations:

𝑥𝑥 + 2𝑦𝑦 = 9
5 + 2𝑦𝑦 = 9
2𝑦𝑦 = 4
𝑦𝑦 = 2
Be sure to check with both equations to avoid making any mistakes!

Indeed, 𝑥𝑥 = 5, 𝑦𝑦 = 2 satisfies the other equation too:

5𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦 = 27
5(5) + 2 = 27

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 Guided Example

Solve the following simultaneous equations by elimination:

2𝑥𝑥 + 3𝑦𝑦 = 6
𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦 = 1

Step 1: Choose which variable to eliminate, then multiply one whole equation to ensure that the
coefficient of the variable we are choosing to eliminate is the same in each equation.

Step 2: Add or subtract the two equations to eliminate the chosen variable.

Step 3: Solve for the remaining variable, then substitute the value of the known variable back into
the original equations to find the value of the eliminated variable.

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 Now it’s your turn!
If you get stuck, look back at the worked and guided examples.

1. Solve the following simultaneous equations.

a) 7𝑎𝑎 + 3𝑏𝑏 = 51
4𝑎𝑎 + 𝑏𝑏 = 22

b) 5𝑐𝑐 − 4𝑑𝑑 = 29
𝑐𝑐 + 3𝑑𝑑 = 21

c) 3𝑝𝑝 − 5𝑞𝑞 = 16
𝑞𝑞 + 𝑝𝑝 = −2

d) 6𝑥𝑥 − 8𝑦𝑦 = 19
10𝑥𝑥 + 2𝑦𝑦 = 1

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 Section B

Worked Example

Use the graph below to find an approximate solution to the following simultaneous
equations:

𝒚𝒚 = 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑 + 𝟓𝟓
𝒚𝒚 = −𝟐𝟐𝟑𝟑 + 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏

Step 1: Match the lines on the graph to the equations given.

The red line represents 𝑦𝑦 = 3𝑥𝑥 + 5, which can be identified by the fact that the gradient is
positive. Therefore, the blue line is 𝑦𝑦 = −2𝑥𝑥 + 10.

Step 2: Identify the coordinates at which the lines intersect.

The point where the lines intersect represent the values of 𝑥𝑥 and 𝑦𝑦 that work for both
equations, so it is the solution.

On this graph, the lines intersect at point (1,8).

Step 3: Write out the solution to the simultaneous equations and substitute the values in to check.

𝑥𝑥 = 1
𝑦𝑦 = 8
Check by substitution:
𝑦𝑦 = 3𝑥𝑥 + 5
8 = 3(1) + 5

𝑦𝑦 = −2𝑥𝑥 + 10
8 = −2(1) + 10

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 Guided Example

Construct a graph to find the solutions to the following simultaneous equations:

𝒚𝒚 = 𝟑𝟑 + 𝟑𝟑
𝒚𝒚 = −𝟒𝟒𝟑𝟑 + 𝟖𝟖

Step 1: Construct the graph.

Step 2: Identify the coordinates at which the lines intersect.

Step 3: Write out the solution to the simultaneous equations and substitute the values in to check.

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 Now it’s your turn!
If you get stuck, look back at the worked and guided examples.

2. Use the graph to find approximate solutions to the following simultaneous equations:
1
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑥𝑥 + 3
4
𝑦𝑦 = 4𝑥𝑥 − 12

3. Use the graph to find approximate solutions to the following simultaneous equations:
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑥𝑥 − 2𝑦𝑦
𝑦𝑦 = −5𝑥𝑥 + 16

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4. Construct a graph to find the approximate solutions to the simultaneous equations:
𝑦𝑦 = 2𝑥𝑥 + 3
𝑦𝑦 = −𝑥𝑥 + 6

5. Construct a graph to find the approximate solutions to the simultaneous equations:

1
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑥𝑥 + 7
2
𝑦𝑦 = 4𝑥𝑥

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 Section C – Higher Only

Worked Example

Solve the following simultaneous equations by substitution:

𝒚𝒚 + 𝟑𝟑 = 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏
𝟑𝟑𝟐𝟐 + 𝟒𝟒 = 𝒚𝒚 + 𝟔𝟔

Step 1: Rearrange the linear equation to obtain one of the unknowns on its own.

The linear equation is the one that does not contain any squared, cubed, or higher order
terms – every variable is to the power of 1 or a constant. In this case the linear equation is
𝑦𝑦 + 𝑥𝑥 = 10 since the other equation contains an 𝑥𝑥 2 term.
Rearranging to obtain one of the unknowns on its own:

𝑦𝑦 = 10 − 𝑥𝑥

Step 2: Substitute the linear equation into the quadratic equation, then solve the quadratic
equation.

We substitute the linear equation as 𝑦𝑦 in the quadratic equation:

𝑥𝑥 2 + 4 = 𝒚𝒚 + 6
𝒚𝒚 = 10 − 𝑥𝑥

𝑥𝑥 2 + 4 = 10 − 𝑥𝑥 + 6
Simplify the equation:
𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑥𝑥 − 12 = 0
Solve the quadratic equation by factorisation or by using the quadratic formula:

𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑥𝑥 − 12 = 0
(𝑥𝑥 − 3)(𝑥𝑥 + 4) = 0

The solutions are 𝟑𝟑 = 𝟑𝟑 and 𝟑𝟑 = −𝟒𝟒.

Step 3: Substitute the two solutions for 𝑥𝑥 into the original linear equation to find the corresponding
𝑦𝑦 values for each variable.

Substitute in 𝑥𝑥 = 3:
𝑦𝑦 = 10 − 𝑥𝑥
𝑦𝑦 = 10 − 3
𝑦𝑦 = 7

Substitute in 𝑥𝑥 = −4:
𝑦𝑦 = 10 − 𝑥𝑥
𝑦𝑦 = 10 − (−4)
𝑦𝑦 = 14

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 Guided Example

Solve the following simultaneous equations by substitution:

𝟑𝟑𝟐𝟐 + 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏 = 𝒚𝒚 + 𝟗𝟗
𝒚𝒚 = 𝟑𝟑 + 𝟕𝟕

Step 1: Rearrange the linear equation to obtain one of the unknowns on its own.

Step 2: Substitute the linear equation into the quadratic equation, then solve the quadratic equation.

Step 3: Substitute the solutions for x into the original linear equation to find the corresponding
values for each variable.

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 Now it’s your turn!
If you get stuck, look back at the worked and guided examples.

6. Solve the following simultaneous equations by substitution:

a) 𝑦𝑦 + 𝑥𝑥 = 3
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑥𝑥 2 − 2𝑥𝑥 + 1

b) 𝑥𝑥 − 6 = 𝑦𝑦
𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦 2 = 12

c) 2𝑥𝑥 + 4𝑦𝑦 = 14
𝑥𝑥 2 + 3𝑦𝑦 − 𝑥𝑥 = 27

d) 7𝑥𝑥 + 10 = 𝑦𝑦 − 1
𝑦𝑦 2 − 𝑥𝑥 = 4𝑦𝑦 + 1

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 Section D – Higher Only

Worked Example

Use the graph to find the solutions to the following simultaneous equations.
𝒚𝒚 = 𝟑𝟑𝟐𝟐
𝒚𝒚 = 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑 + 𝟒𝟒

Step 1: Match the curves on the graph to the equations given.

The red line represents 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑥𝑥 2 and the blue line represents 𝑦𝑦 = 3𝑥𝑥 + 4. This is clear by the
fact that the blue line must clearly match the equation of a straight line which is of the form
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑚𝑚𝑥𝑥 + 𝑐𝑐.

Step 2: Identify the coordinates at which the lines intersect.

The points at which the lines intersect represent the values of 𝑥𝑥 and 𝑦𝑦 that satisfy both
equations, so they are the solutions.

The lines intersect at (−1, 1) and (4, 16). This means that the solutions are:

𝟑𝟑 = −𝟏𝟏, 𝒚𝒚 = 𝟏𝟏,
and
𝟑𝟑 = 𝟒𝟒, 𝒚𝒚 = 𝟏𝟏𝟔𝟔.

Step 3: Substitute the values into the equations to check.

Substitute in 𝑥𝑥 = −1:
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑥𝑥 2 = (−1)2 = 1
𝑦𝑦 = 3𝑥𝑥 + 4 = 3(−1) + 4 = 1

Substitute in 𝑥𝑥 = 4:
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑥𝑥 2 = (4)2 = 16
𝑦𝑦 = 3𝑥𝑥 + 4 = 3(4) + 4 = 16

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 Guided Example

Use the graph to find the solutions to the following simultaneous equations.

𝒚𝒚 = 𝟐𝟐(𝟑𝟑 − 𝟐𝟐)𝟐𝟐
𝒚𝒚 = −𝟑𝟑 + 𝟓𝟓

Step 1: Match the lines on the graph to the equations given.

Step 2: Identify the coordinates at which the lines intersect.

Step 3: Substitute the values in to check.

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 Now it’s your turn!
If you get stuck, look back at the worked and guided examples.

7. Use the graph to find approximate solutions to the following simultaneous equations:
𝑦𝑦 = −𝑥𝑥 2 + 6
1
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑥𝑥 + 1
2

8. Use the graph to find approximate solutions to the following simultaneous equations:
1
𝑦𝑦 = (𝑥𝑥 + 4)2
2

𝑦𝑦 = 2𝑥𝑥 + 8

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9. Use the graph to find approximate solutions to the following simultaneous equations:
𝑦𝑦 = (𝑥𝑥 − 4)2 + 3
𝑦𝑦 = 2𝑥𝑥 − 2

10. Use the graph to find approximate solutions to the following simultaneous equations:
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑥𝑥 2 − 4
𝑦𝑦 = −𝑥𝑥 2 + 4

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