Question 84·Hard·Linear Equations in One Variable
For which value of does the equation
have infinitely many real solutions for ?
When a problem asks for which parameter a linear equation has infinitely many (or no) solutions, avoid solving for directly. Instead, expand and simplify each side into the form , then compare: for infinitely many solutions, both the -coefficients and the constants must be equal. Set those equal to form a simple equation in the parameter and solve it, then quickly verify by substituting back to check that the two sides truly match for all .
Hints
Rewrite the equation in standard form
Try expanding both sides of the equation so you can clearly see the coefficient of and the constant term on each side.
Think about what “infinitely many solutions” means
For a linear equation in , when would every real value of make the equation true? What must be true about the two expressions on each side of the equals sign?
Focus on the constant terms
After you expand, you should see that the coefficients of on both sides already match. Concentrate on making the constant terms equal and solve that resulting equation for .
Desmos Guide
Enter both sides as separate expressions
In Desmos, type (m+2)*(4x-7) on one line and 4*(m+2)*x+9 on another line. When you use the letter m, Desmos will prompt you to create a slider for m; add that slider.
Use the m-slider to see when the lines coincide
Move the m slider and watch how the two graphs change. You are looking for the value of m where the two graphs lie exactly on top of each other (they are the same line), which corresponds to the equation having infinitely many solutions for ; read that value of m from the slider.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the condition for infinitely many solutions
A linear equation in has infinitely many solutions only if, after simplifying, both sides are the same expression in . That means the coefficient of and the constant term must match on both sides, so the equation is true for every real .
Expand both sides in terms of x
Expand the left side: . Expand the right side: .
Compare coefficients and constants
After expanding, both sides have the same coefficient of , namely , so the -terms already match. For the expressions to be identical, the constant terms must also be equal, so set .
Solve for m
Solve : add 14 to both sides to get , then divide by to get . For this value of , both sides of the equation are the same linear expression in , so the equation has infinitely many real solutions for .