Question

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

Answer 1

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.