Solving System of Equations using Substitution or Elimination

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This discussion focuses on solving a system of equations using substitution and elimination methods. The equations involved are x² - 13xy + 12y² = 0 and x² + xy = 156. The user successfully substituted y from the second equation into the first but encountered errors in their algebraic manipulation. The correct approach involves factoring the first equation and substituting the results back into the second equation, leading to four solution points: (12,1), (-12,-1), (√78,√78), and (-√78,-√78).

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Hazel
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x^2-13xy+12y^2=0 (1)
x^2+xy=156 (2)

What I have so far:
x^2+xy=156
xy=156-x^2
y=(156-x^2)/x)

Plugged y=(156-x^2)/x) into (1):
x^2-13x(156-x^2)/x)+12(156-x^2)/x)^2=0

For 1st half I Multiplied x to -13x in order to get the same denominator so I can multiply it to (156-x^2)/x):
(-13x^2)/x)(156-x^2)/x)
=(-2028x^2+13x^4)/x^2
=-2028+13x^2

For 2nd half I squared (156-x^2)/x) and factored:
12(156-x^2)/x)(156-x^2)/x)
=12(24336-156x^2-156x^2+x^4)/x^2)
=12(24336-312x^2+x^4)/x^2)

Next, I multiplied x^2 to 12 in order to get the same denominator so I can multiply it to (24336-312x^2+x^4)/x^2):
(12x^2)x^2)(24336-312x^2+x^4)/X^2)

I got for 2nd half:
(292032x^2-3744x^4+12x^6)/x^4)

So all together I got:
x^2-2028+13x^2+(292032x^2-3744x^4+12x^6/x^4)=0

Well apparently I went wrong somewhere in the 2nd half because MyMathLab "Help me Solve this" feature is telling me it suppose to had been:
x^2-2028+13x^2+(292032-3744x^2+12x^4/x^2)=0 Then went on to solving the problem.

I'm stuck here. I would like to know where I went wrong. Can you please tell me?
 
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Hello and welcome to MHB! :D

I think you are off to a good start by solving the second equation for $y$:

$$y=\frac{156-x^2}{x}$$

What I suggest doing next is factoring the first equation. What do you find?
 
x^2-13xy+12y^2=0
(x-12y)(x-y)=0
x=12y x=y
 
Hazel said:
x^2-13xy+12y^2=0
(x-12y)(x-y)=0
x=12y x=y

Good! (Yes) Now you have two cases to consider:

$x=y$ and $x=12y$

Substitute each in turn into the other equation, and solve for $y$, and then you will know $x$ as well from the substitution. You should get 4 points in total. What do you find?
 
Using x^2+xy=156?
x=12y x=y
So 1st it will be:
(12y)^2+(12y)y=156?
Then:
(y)^2+(y)y=156?
 
(12y)^2+(12y)y=156
144y^2+12y^2=156
156y^2=156
y^2=1
y=\pm\sqrt{1}
y=\pm1

x^2+x(x)=156
x^2+x^2=156
2x^2=156
x^2=78
x=\pm\sqrt{78}
 
Hazel said:
(12y)^2+(12y)y=156
144y^2+12y^2=156
156y^2=156
y^2=1
y=\pm\sqrt{1}
y=\pm1

x^2+x(x)=156
x^2+x^2=156
2x^2=156
x^2=78
x=\pm\sqrt{78}

Yes, so what are your 4 points? :D
 
Right?
(1,12) (-1,-12) (\sqrt{78},\sqrt{78}) (-\sqrt{78},-\sqrt{78})
 
Actually it's:
(12,1) (-12,-1) (\sqrt{78},\sqrt{78}) (-\sqrt{78},-\sqrt{78})

My mistake
 
  • #10
Hazel said:
Actually it's:
(12,1) (-12,-1) (\sqrt{78},\sqrt{78}) (-\sqrt{78},-\sqrt{78})

My mistake

Yes, that's correct. :D
 
  • #11
Thanks! Solved!
 

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