How do you solve the system of equations by graphing and then classify the system as consistent or inconsistent y = -x - 4 and y = x + 2?

1 Answer
May 29, 2017

See a solution process below:

Explanation:

Step 1) Because the first equation is already solved for y we can substitute (-x - 4) from y in the second equation and solve for x:

y = x + 2 becomes:

-x - 4 = x + 2

color(red)(x) - x - 4 - color(blue)(2) = color(red)(x) + x + 2 - color(blue)(2)

0 - 6 = color(red)(1x) + 1x + 0

-6 = 2x

-6/color(red)(2) = (2x)/color(red)(2)

-3 = (color(red)(cancel(color(black)(2)))x)/cancel(color(red)(2))

-3 = x

x = -3

Step 2) Substitute -3 for x in the first equation and calculate y:

y = -x - 4 becomes:

y = -(-3) - 4

y = 3 - 4

y = -1

The solution is: x = -3 and y = -1 or (-3, -1)