How do you determine the value of xy if x+y=-3 and x^2+y^2=65?

1 Answer

First make the x+y=-3 have common terms with the x^2+ y^2= 65.

You do this by squaring the entire x+y=-3, this will also get you the term xy that you want to find:

(x+y)^2 = (-3)^2

x^2 + y^2 = 65

Now make them equal to each other to:

x^2 + 2xy + y^2 -9 = x^2 + y^2 -65

Isolate the 2xy by subtracting the x^2 and y^2 from both sides also add a 9 to both sides to eliminate the 9 from the left side

You should get this:

2xy = -56

Then isolate the xy by dividing by 2 on both sides to get:

xy = -28