Question

How do you solve the following system?: `2x + 7y = -8, -x-8y=32`

Answer 1

`x=160/9` and `y=-56/9`.

Explanation:

The equations are `2x+7y=-8` --(A) and `-x-8y=32` -- (B)

Now multiplying (B) by `2` and adding to (A) cancels out `x`, and we get

`7y-16y=-8+64` or `-9y=56` or `y=-56/9`. Now putting this in (B), we get

`-x-8xx-56/9=32` or `-x+448/9=32` or `-x=32-448/9=288/9-448/9=-160/9` or `x=160/9`