Question 120·Hard·Systems of Two Linear Equations in Two Variables
If is the solution to the system of equations above, what is the value of ?
For systems where the same complicated expressions repeat in both equations, do not expand everything and solve for and directly—that is slower and more error-prone. Instead, treat each repeated expression (like or ) as a single variable, rewrite the system in those new variables, and then solve that simpler system using substitution or elimination. At the end, translate back to the original expression the question asks for, and be careful to report the value of the correct combination of and .
Hints
Look for structure, not just individual terms
Compare the two equations and identify any expressions in and that appear in exactly the same form in both.
Treat repeated expressions as single variables
Once you see and repeating, try letting and , and rewrite each equation using only and .
Solve the simpler system carefully
After rewriting, you should have two linear equations in and . Use substitution or elimination to find , and remember that represents .
Desmos Guide
Graph the two equations
In Desmos, enter the first equation exactly as written: 2(3x-7y)+5(x+4y)=18. On the next line, enter the second equation: 4(3x-7y)-2(x+4y)=6. Desmos will draw two straight lines (implicit relations) representing these equations.
Find the intersection point
Zoom or pan until you can see where the two graphs intersect. Tap or click on the intersection point; Desmos will display its coordinates .
Evaluate at the intersection
In a new expression line, type 3*(x-coordinate) - 7*(y-coordinate) using the numbers from the intersection point. The value that Desmos outputs is the value of for the solution to the system.
Step-by-step Explanation
Spot the repeated expressions and rename them
Notice that and appear in both equations. To simplify the system, let and so we can work with and instead of and .
Rewrite the system in terms of and
Substitute and into each equation. From the first equation: becomes . From the second equation: becomes . To make numbers smaller, divide this second equation by 2 to get an equivalent equation .
Use substitution to get an equation with only
From , solve for : add to both sides to get , so . Substitute this into the first equation : you get . Distribute the 5: . Combine like terms: . Add 15 to both sides to obtain .
Solve for and answer the question
From , divide both sides by 12 to get . Simplify by dividing numerator and denominator by 3: . Since , the value of is , which corresponds to choice B.