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Pair of Linear Equations in Two Variables

No answer, or every answer

Two notes about one ticket counter can disagree. Let x be an adult ticket's price, in rupees. Let y be a student ticket's price. In the lab, note A is 2x + 3y = 340. Slide k in note B, 4x + 6y = k.

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Note A: 2x + 3y = 340.
Step 1 of 6
  1. Note A: 2x + 3y = 340.
  2. Note B: 4x + 6y = 650.
  3. Elimination ends 0 = 30. No answer.
  4. Note B changed: 4x + 6y = 680.
  5. Elimination ends 0 = 0. Every point of one line.
  6. The same first note, two different endings.

The rule

If elimination ends with a false sentence, like 0 = 30, the facts clash. They cannot both be true. There is no answer.

If elimination ends with 0 = 0, the two equations say one fact twice. The sentence 0 = 0 is true for every x and y. Every point of the one line is an answer.

Example

Note A says 2 adult and 3 student tickets cost ₹340. Note B says 4 adult and 6 student tickets cost ₹650. The first two ratios are 2/4 and 3/6. Both are 1/2.

The third ratio is 340/650. It is not 1/2. Double note A: 4x + 6y = 680. Subtract note B: 0 = 30. The two notes cannot both be true.

Change note B to 4x + 6y = 680. All three ratios are 1/2. Subtracting gives 0 = 0. Note B is note A doubled. Note B adds no new fact.

Jump to lesson

This track

  1. 0 Start here
  2. 1 The pair, the picture, the verdict
  3. 2 A story becomes a pair
  4. 3 Three ratios, one verdict
  5. 4 Predict, then look
  6. 5 Same line, new clothes
  7. 6 Two methods, one point
  8. 7 No answer, or every answer
  9. 8 Read the answer back
  10. 9 Draw the pair, read the crossing
  11. 10 Checkpoint: clothes, methods, endings and graphs
  12. 11 The big picture
  13. 12 Track quiz

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