Chapter 4 System of Linear Equations
Section 4.2 LS in two Variables4.2.2 Substitution Method and Comparison Method
Until now we studied the solvability and the graphical solution of systems of linear equations of the form 4.2.1. Next, we need to study these systems algebraically. To this end, we investigate a further example.Example 4.2.6
For the renovation of their house, the Müller family had to take out two mortgages with a total amount of Euro. The interest they have to pay annually is in total Euro. The interest rate for one mortgage agreement is annually, and annually for the other. What are the amounts of the individual mortgages?
Let the amounts of the individual mortgages be denoted by and . As we know from the problem description, the sum of the two amounts is Euro. Hence, the first equation reads:
The interest burden from the mortgage agreement at a rate of is , and the interest burden from the other one at a rate of is . From the problem description we know that the two values add up to . This results in a second equation:
Again, one ends up with a system of linear equations as in example 4.2.1.
To solve the system algebraically, the first equation is solved for . This results in an equation , which is equivalent to equation :
This equation for can be substituted into equation . In the resulting equation only the variable occurs, so it can be solved for :
Substituting the solution for into equation results in
Hence, the mortgage amounts are Euro (mortgage with interest of annually) and Euro (mortgage with interest of annually).
Let the amounts of the individual mortgages be denoted by and . As we know from the problem description, the sum of the two amounts is Euro. Hence, the first equation reads:
The interest burden from the mortgage agreement at a rate of is , and the interest burden from the other one at a rate of is . From the problem description we know that the two values add up to . This results in a second equation:
Again, one ends up with a system of linear equations as in example 4.2.1.
To solve the system algebraically, the first equation is solved for . This results in an equation , which is equivalent to equation :
This equation for can be substituted into equation . In the resulting equation only the variable occurs, so it can be solved for :
Substituting the solution for into equation results in
Hence, the mortgage amounts are Euro (mortgage with interest of annually) and Euro (mortgage with interest of annually).
Info 4.2.7
In the substitution method, as a first step one of the two linear equations is solved for one of the variables - or a multiple of one of the variables. As a second step the solution is substituted into the other linear equation. Only three cases can occur:
- In the resulting equation (after collecting like terms) the other variable still occurs. Solving the resulting equation for this other variable results in the first part of the solution. The second part is obtained, for example, by substituting the solution of the first part into the equation from the first step. The solution is unique. (If this solution does not belong to the base set, it has to be excluded.)
- In the resulting equation (after collecting like terms) the other variable does not occur any more and the equation is a contradiction. Then the system of linear equations has no solution.
- In the resulting equation (after collecting like terms) the other variable does not occur any more and the equation is always true. Then the system of linear equations has an infinite number of solutions (unless the definition of the base set results in some restrictions).
Concerning the substitution method, cases (ii) and (iii) mentioned above shall be illustrated again by means of the systems of linear equations in example 4.2.4:
Example 4.2.8
For both systems of linear equations the base set is .
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For illustration, the first example is solved again, this time by means of the comparison method:
Example 4.2.10
The system of linear equations in the first example reads:
Both equations are solved for
and the right-hand-sides of the two equations are equated
which results in . The solution for can be substituted into one of the equations solved for which results in .
Both equations are solved for
and the right-hand-sides of the two equations are equated
which results in . The solution for can be substituted into one of the equations solved for which results in .
Exercise 4.2.11
Find the solution set of the following system of linear equations
using the comparison method.
using the comparison method.