How do you solve the system of equations #8x=2y+5# and #3x=y+7# using substitution?

1 Answer
Apr 24, 2016

Find an expression for #y# and work from there to get a solution of #(-9/2,-41/2)#.

Explanation:

I'll start by labeling each equation to make the solving process easier to follow:
#i.............8x=2y+5#
#ii............3x=y+7#

Start by subtracting #7# from both sides of equation #ii:#
#3x=y+7#
#3x-7=y+cancel(7)-cancel(7)#
#->y=3x-7#

Now substitute this into equation #i# for #y#:
#8x=2y+5#
#8x=2(3x-7)+5#

And solve for #x#:
#8x=2(3x-7)+5#
#8x=6x-14+5#
#2x=-9#
#x=-9/2#

We found earlier that #y=3x-7#. We now have the value of #x#, so we'll use it to find #y#:
#y=3x-7#
#y=3(-9/2)-7#
#y=-27/2-7#
#y=-27/2-14/2#
#y=-41/2#

The solution, then, is #(-9/2,-41/2)#.