How do you solve #2x – 8y = 8# and #-x + 4y = 4 #?

1 Answer
Aug 26, 2016

You need to manipulate the equations just a bit

Explanation:

The equations given:

#2x-8y=8#, and
#-x+4y=4#

may be put in a more convenient form. For example, if we divide the whole first equation by 2, the solutions don't change:

#x-4y=4#,

so now we can add the two equations and eliminate #x#. But when we try to do that, we see that we also eliminate #y#, and we end up with the following:

#0=8#

which is false. The answer is then that the system given has no solutions.