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Simultaneous

The document explains methods for solving simultaneous equations, including substitution, elimination, matrix, and graphical methods. It provides examples and exercises for each method, demonstrating how to find unknown values based on given equations. The document also includes miscellaneous exercises for further practice.

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libo benard
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
2 views

Simultaneous

The document explains methods for solving simultaneous equations, including substitution, elimination, matrix, and graphical methods. It provides examples and exercises for each method, demonstrating how to find unknown values based on given equations. The document also includes miscellaneous exercises for further practice.

Uploaded by

libo benard
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS

Example 1.
Rhoda bought a fruit cake and two chocolate cakes at a cost of Sh.2,
000.On the following day her brother Luther visited the same shop and
bought two fruit cakes and three chocolate cakes at a cost of
Sh.3500.What was the cost of each cake?

To find the value of two unknowns in a problem, two different equations


must be given that relate the unknowns to each other. These two
equations are called simultaneous equations.

a) Substitution method
From the situation above, let the cost of the fruit and chocolate cakes be x
and y
respectively.
x + 2y = 2000 …(1)
2x + 3y = 3500 …(2)

a) Label the equations so that the working is made clear.


b) Write one variable in terms of the other using one of the equations.
E.g from (1) x = 2000 - 2y.
c) Substitute this expression for x in equation (2) and solve to find y.
2(2000 – 2y) + 3y = 3500.
4000 – 4y +3y = 3500.
4000 – y = 3500.
y = 4000 – 3500
y = 500.
d) Find x from any of the two equations using this value of y.
x + 2(500) = 2000.
x +1000 = 2000.
x = 2000 – 1000
x = 1000.
The fruit cake costs Sh.1000 and the chocolate cake costs Sh.500.

Exercise. Use the substitution method to solve the following.


1. 2x + y = 5 2. x + 2y = 8
X + 3y = 5 2x + 3y = 14

3. 3x + y = 10 4. 2x+ y = - 3
x–y=2 x – y = -3

b) Elimination method.
Example 2.
The cost of one litre of petrol and two litres of diesel is Sh.5800.If you buy
two
litres of petrol and three litres of diesel, the cost would be Sh.9800.Find
the unit
cost of petrol and diesel.

Let the cost of a litre of petrol be x and that of diesel y.

x + 2y = 5800 … (1)
2x + 3y = 9800 … (2)

a) Label the equation so that the working is made clear.


b) Choose an unknown in one of the equations and multiply the
equations by a factor or factors so that this unknown has the same
coefficient in both equations.
c) Eliminate this unknown from the two equations by subtracting them,
then solve for the remaining unknown.
d) substitute in the first equation and solve for the eliminated
unknown.
x + 2y =5800 …(1)
(1) x 2 2x + 4y = 11,600 …(3)
2x + 3y = 9800 …(2)
Subtract (2) from (3)
y = 1800
Substituting in (1)
x + 2(1800) = 5800
x + 3600 = 5800
x = 5800 – 3600
x = 2200.
One litre of petrol costs Sh.2200 while diesel Sh.1800.

Exercise. Use the elimination method to solve the following:


1. 2x + 5y = 24 2. 5x + 2y = 13
4x +3y = 20 2x + 6y = 26

3. 4x +y = 11 4. x + 2y = 17
9x + 2y = 28 8x +3y = 45

C) Solution by Matrix method.

Example 3.
The wage bill for five men and six women workers is Sh.670, 000,
while the bill for eight men and three women is Sh.610,000.Find the
wage for a man and a woman.

Let the wage of a man be x and that of a woman y.

5x + 6y = 670,000. ….(1)
8x + 3y = 610,000. …..(2)

(a) Re-write the equations in matrix form.

5 6 x = 670,000
8 3 y 610,000

This shows the matrices of coefficients, variables and


constants in the order they appear.
(b) Find the inverse of the matrix of coefficients.
Note: In order to find an inverse of matrix requires us to find the
determinant of the matrix first.

The determinant of 5 6 is (5 x 3 ) – ( 6x 8) = - 33.


8 3

Thus the inverse of the above matrix would then be:

1 3 -6
. -33 -8 5
(c) Pre-multiply through the matrix equation by this inverse.

1 3 -6 5 6 x = 1 3 -6 670000
-33 -8 5 8 3 y -33 -8 5 610000
When a matrix is multiplied by its inverse the result is an
Identity
matrix. Thus the left hand side yields an identity matrix.
1 0 x = 1 -1650000
0 1 y -33 -2310000
x = 50000
y 70000
Therefore a man earns Sh.50,000 while a woman Sh.70,000.

Exercise. Formulate a pair of simultaneous equations and solve using


the
matrix method.
1. Find two numbers with a sum of 28 and a difference of 2.
2. Twice one number added to three times another gives 26. Find the
number, if the difference between them is 3.
3. The average of two numbers is 9, and three times the difference
between them is 18. Find the numbers.

D) Graphical solution of Simultaneous equations.


Example 4. Solve graphically
3x + 2y = 8
x – 4y = -2 .
The equations above are equations of straight lines. Hence we can
draw the two lines on the same graph page and find their point of
intersection. The co-ordinates of this point of intersection will provide
the solutions to the simultaneous equations.
For the line 3x + 2y = 8
x 0 2 4
y 4 1 -2
For the line x – 4y = -2.
x 2 6 10
y 1 2 3

Exercise: Draw the two lines on the same pair of axes and find the
point of intersection. State the x and y co-ordinates as the solution.

Example 5.
Solve the simultaneous equations below graphically.
x+y=3
y – x2 = 1.
One of the equations is a quadratic while the other is linear.
Draw the graph of x + y = 3 which is a straight line.
Table of values.
x 0 3 1
y 3 0 2

On the same graph page include the graph of y = x2 + 1 which is a


curve.
Table of values.
x -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
y 26 17 10 5 2 1 2 5 10 17

The point of intersection of the curve and the straight line provides
the solution to the equations.

Exercise: Draw the line and curve on the same pair of axes and read of
the x
and y values as the solution.

Exercise. Solve the following simultaneous equations graphically.


1. 2x – 3y = - 12
3x + 2y = -5.
2. 4x + 5y = 1
7x – 3y = - 10.

Miscellaneous exercise.
1. The line, with equation y + ax = c, passes through the points (1,5) and
(3,1).
Find a and c.(Hint: For the point (1,5) put x = 1 and y = 5 into y +ax = c.)
2. The curve y = ax2 + bx passes through (2,0) and (4,8). Find a and b.
3. Given x2 – y2 = -5 and x + y = 5, find x and y.

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