How do you solve the system #x - y = -2 # and #3x - y = 0# by graphing?
1 Answer
Apr 8, 2017
The graphical “solution” is the intersection point of the two lines.
Explanation:
Depending on the range of the lines and the resolution of your graph paper, sometimes simply plotting out the equations and looking at the visual solution is the easiest! It does take more time than deriving the solution algebraically, but it may help you to understand the concept of “solutions” (common points in different expressions) and how they may apply to the “real world” (construction, travel, finances).
The following example was generated in LibreOffice. You can see that the intersection (solution) of the two lines is the point (1, 3), which is a solution algebraically to both linear equations.
