Question 37·Easy·Systems of Two Linear Equations in Two Variables
The system of equations is
The solution to the system is . What is the value of ?
For systems where one equation is already solved for a variable (like ), use substitution: plug that expression into the other equation, solve the resulting one-variable equation, then substitute back to find the other variable. Always check that your solution satisfies both original equations, and remember the question might only ask for or , not both, so answer exactly what is requested to save time.
Hints
Choose a method
You have a system of two linear equations. One equation is already solved for . Which method (substitution or elimination) is faster when one variable is already isolated?
Substitute into the other equation
Take the expression for from the first equation and plug it into the second equation wherever you see .
Solve step by step
After substituting, combine like terms to solve for . Then plug that -value back into to get .
Check your pair
Whatever and you find must make both equations true. If a value only works in one equation, it cannot be correct.
Desmos Guide
Graph the first equation
In Desmos, enter the equation y = 2x + 1. This will draw the first line.
Graph the second equation
Enter the second equation. You can either type x + y = 7 directly (Desmos will graph it) or rewrite it as y = 7 - x and enter that. This will draw the second line.
Find the intersection point
On the graph, tap or click where the two lines intersect. Desmos will display the coordinates of this point. The -value shown there is the answer to the question.
Step-by-step Explanation
Use the equation that is already solved for y
You are given the system
The first equation already expresses in terms of . This makes it convenient to substitute into the second equation.
Substitute for y in the second equation
Replace in the second equation with the expression from the first equation.
Starting with :
Now all terms are in terms of , so you can solve for .
Solve for x
Combine like terms and solve the equation:
Now that you know , you can find using .
Find y using x = 2
Substitute into :
So the value of is , which corresponds to answer choice C.