Simultaneous Equations

Three linear equations in three unknowns

One linear and one quadratic in two unknowns
Homogeneous quadratic equations in two unknowns

Simultaneous Linear
Equations
Form 3 - two simultaneous linear equations in
two unknowns.
For example: Solve the simultaneous equations
3x 4y = 1,
2x + 3y =12
using
(i) substitution method,
(ii) elimination method.

Simultaneous Linear
Equations
Three linear equations in three unknowns:
For example: 3x y + 2z = 1

x + 3y 3z = 4

- 2x y + z = 7

Solve for the values of x, y and z, using

elimination and substitution method.

 3:
2:
+ :
3:
+ :
2:
- :

9x 3y + 6z = 3

2x + 6y 6z = - 8

11x + 3y = -5

- 6x + 3y + 3z = 21

- 5x + 6y = 17

22x + 6y = -10

27x = - 27
x = -1
Substitute x = -1 into :
-11 + 3y = -5
3y = 6
y=2
Substitute x = -1 and y = 2 into :
- 3 2 + 2z = 1
2z = 6

z=3

Non-Linear Simultaneous
Equations
Form 4 - Simultaneous linear and quadratic
equations in two unknowns:
For example: 2x + y = 4

x2 + 2y2 = 17

Solve by substitution.

From :
y = 4 2x
Substitute into : x2 + 2(4 2x)2 = 17
x2 + 32 32x + 8x2 = 17
9x2 32x + 15 = 0
(x 3)(9x 5) = 0

x = 3 or x = 5/9
When x = 3,
y = 4 2(3) = -2
When x = 5/9,
y = 4 2(5/9) = 26/9
(x, y) = (3, -2), (5/9, 26/9)

Non-Linear Simultaneous
Equations
Homogeneous quadratic equations in two
unknowns
A homogeneous expression is an expression
where every term is of the same degree.
For example, x2z + 3y3, 3x + 2y - 5z, 1/x+ 3/y + 5/z
are homogeneous expressions of degree 3, 1, -1
respectively.

Non-Linear Simultaneous
Equations
An example of simultaneous
homogeneous quadratic equations in two
unknowns:
2x2 y2 = 7

2y2 xy = 4

There are two methods to solve these

equations:

 Method 1:
Let y = mx, where m is a constant.
Equation becomes 2x2 m2x2 = 7

Equation becomes 2m2x2 mx2 = 4

2
2
Dividing these equations: x (2 m ) 7
x 2 ( 2m 2 m)

4(2 m2) = 7(2m2 m)

18m2 7m 8 = 0
(9m 8)(2m + 1) = 0
m = 8/9, or m = -

8
When m ,
9

64
x (2 - ) 7
81
9
x
14
8 9
and y

9 14
1
1
2
When m , x (2 - ) 7
2
4
x 2
1
and y 2 1
2
2

8
14

Note that
there are
four sets of
roots.

( x, y )
9
8
(
,
), (2, 1)
14
14

 Method 2:
Eliminate the constants:
4: 8x2 4y2 = 28
7: 14y2 7xy = 28
8x2 4y2 = 14y2 7xy
8x2 4y2 - 14y2 + 7xy = 0
8x2 + 7xy 18y2 = 0
(x + 2y)(8x 9y) = 0
giving
y = - x,
or
y = 8/9x,
which is the same as in the first method. So
proceed to find the values of x and y as before.

8
When m ,
9

64
x (2 - ) 7
81
9
x
14
8 9
and y

9 14
1
1
2
When m , x (2 - ) 7
2
4
x 2
1
and y 2 1
2
2

8
14

Note that
there are
four sets of
roots.

( x, y )
9
8
(
,
), (2, 1)
14
14

Note on the number of roots

Type of Simultaneous Equations

Number of Roots

2 linear in 2 unknowns

1 set of roots

3 linear in 3 unknowns

1 set of roots

1linear & 1 quadratic in 2 unknowns

2 set of roots

2 homogeneous quadratic in 2 unknowns

4 set of roots

Not enough equations?

Given 2 linear (homogeneous) equation in
3 unknowns, e.g.: 6x 5y 6z = 0
10x + 7y 33z = 0
Given 1 homogeneous equation in 2
unknowns, e.g.:
x2 3xy 40y2 = 0
We cannot solve for the unknowns, but we
can solve for their ratios.

Simultaneous Linear
Equations and Matrices
Form 5 Solved 2 linear simultaneous
equations in 2 unknowns using inverse
matrix.
How about 3 linear simultaneous equations
in 3 unknowns? Is there a matrix method to
solve it?