3-2: Solving Systems of Equations 
using Elimination 
Steps: 
1. Place both equations in Standard Form, Ax + By = C. 
2. Determine which variable to eliminate with Addition 
or Subtraction. 
3. Solve for the variable left. 
4. Go back and use the found variable in step 3 to find 
second variable. 
5. Check the solution in both equations of the system.
EXAMPLE #1: 
5x + 3y = 11 
5x = 2y + 1 
STEP1: Write both equations in Ax + By = C 
form. 5x + 3y =1 
5x - 2y =1 
STEP 2: Use subtraction to eliminate 5x. 
5x + 3y =11 5x + 3y = 11 
-(5x - 2y =1) -5x + 2y = -1 
Note: the (-) is distributed. 
STEP 3: Solve for the variable. 
5x + 3y =11 
-5x + 2y = -1 
5y =10 y = 2
STEP 4: Solve for the other variable by substituting 
into either equation. 
5x + 3y =11 
5x + 3(2) =11 
5x + 6 =11 
5x = 5 
x = 1 
5x + 3y = 11 
5x = 2y + 1 
The solution to the system is (1,2).
5x + 3y= 11 
5x = 2y + 1 
Step 5: Check the solution in both equations. 
The solution to the system is (1,2). 
5x + 3y = 11 
5(1) + 3(2) =11 
5 + 6 =11 
11=11 
5x = 2y + 1 
5(1) = 2(2) + 1 
5 = 4 + 1 
5=5
Solving Systems of Equations 
using Elimination 
Steps: 
1. Place both equations in Standard Form, Ax + By = C. 
2. Determine which variable to eliminate with Addition 
or Subtraction. 
3. Solve for the remaining variable. 
4. Go back and use the variable found in step 3 to find 
the second variable. 
5. Check the solution in both equations of the system.
Example #2: x + y = 10 
5x – y = 2 
Step 1: The equations are already in standard 
form: x + y = 10 
5x – y = 2 
Step 2: Adding the equations will eliminate y. 
x + y = 10 x + y = 10 
+(5x – y = 2) +5x – y = +2 
Step 3: Solve for the variable. 
x + y = 10 
+5x – y = +2 
6x = 12 
x = 2
x + y = 10 
5x – y = 2 
Step 4: Solve for the other variable by 
substituting into either equation. 
x + y = 10 
2 + y = 10 
y = 8 
Solution to the system is (2,8).
x + y = 10 
5x – y = 2 
Step 5: Check the solution in both equations. 
x + y =10 
2 + 8 =10 
10=10 
5x – y =2 
5(2) - (8) =2 
10 – 8 =2 
2=2 
Solution to the system is (2,8).
NOW solve these using elimination: 
1. 2. 
2x + 4y =1 
x - 4y =5 
2x – y =6 
x + y = 3
Using Elimination to Solve a 
Word Problem: 
Two angles are supplementary. The 
measure of one angle is 10 degrees 
more than three times the other. 
Find the measure of each angle.
Using Elimination to Solve a 
Word Problem: 
Two angles are supplementary. The 
measure of one angle is 10 more 
than three times the other. Find the 
measure of each angle. 
x = degree measure of angle #1 
y = degree measure of angle #2 
Therefore x + y = 180
Using Elimination to Solve a 
Word Problem: 
Two angles are supplementary. The 
measure of one angle is 10 more 
than three times the other. Find the 
measure of each angle. 
x + y = 180 
x =10 + 3y
Using Elimination to Solve a 
Word Problem: 
Solve 
x + y = 180 
x =10 + 3y 
x + y = 180 
-(x - 3y = 10) 
4y =170 
y = 42.5 
x + 42.5 = 180 
x = 180 - 42.5 
x = 137.5 
(137.5, 42.5)
Using Elimination to Solve a 
Word Problem: 
The sum of two numbers is 70 
and their difference is 24. Find 
the two numbers.
Using Elimination to Solve a 
Word problem: 
The sum of two numbers is 70 
and their difference is 24. Find 
the two numbers. 
x = first number 
y = second number 
Therefore, x + y = 70
Using Elimination to Solve a 
Word Problem: 
The sum of two numbers is 70 
and their difference is 24. Find 
the two numbers. 
x + y = 70 
x – y = 24
Using Elimination to Solve a 
Word Problem: 
x + y =70 
x - y = 24 
2x = 94 
x = 47 
47 + y = 70 
y = 70 – 47 
y = 23 
(47, 23)
Now you Try to Solve These 
Problems Using Elimination. 
Solve 
1. Find two numbers whose sum is 
18 and whose difference is 22. 
2. The sum of two numbers is 128 
and their difference is 114. Find 
the numbers.

3 2 solving systems of equations (elimination method)

  • 1.
    3-2: Solving Systemsof Equations using Elimination Steps: 1. Place both equations in Standard Form, Ax + By = C. 2. Determine which variable to eliminate with Addition or Subtraction. 3. Solve for the variable left. 4. Go back and use the found variable in step 3 to find second variable. 5. Check the solution in both equations of the system.
  • 2.
    EXAMPLE #1: 5x+ 3y = 11 5x = 2y + 1 STEP1: Write both equations in Ax + By = C form. 5x + 3y =1 5x - 2y =1 STEP 2: Use subtraction to eliminate 5x. 5x + 3y =11 5x + 3y = 11 -(5x - 2y =1) -5x + 2y = -1 Note: the (-) is distributed. STEP 3: Solve for the variable. 5x + 3y =11 -5x + 2y = -1 5y =10 y = 2
  • 3.
    STEP 4: Solvefor the other variable by substituting into either equation. 5x + 3y =11 5x + 3(2) =11 5x + 6 =11 5x = 5 x = 1 5x + 3y = 11 5x = 2y + 1 The solution to the system is (1,2).
  • 4.
    5x + 3y=11 5x = 2y + 1 Step 5: Check the solution in both equations. The solution to the system is (1,2). 5x + 3y = 11 5(1) + 3(2) =11 5 + 6 =11 11=11 5x = 2y + 1 5(1) = 2(2) + 1 5 = 4 + 1 5=5
  • 5.
    Solving Systems ofEquations using Elimination Steps: 1. Place both equations in Standard Form, Ax + By = C. 2. Determine which variable to eliminate with Addition or Subtraction. 3. Solve for the remaining variable. 4. Go back and use the variable found in step 3 to find the second variable. 5. Check the solution in both equations of the system.
  • 6.
    Example #2: x+ y = 10 5x – y = 2 Step 1: The equations are already in standard form: x + y = 10 5x – y = 2 Step 2: Adding the equations will eliminate y. x + y = 10 x + y = 10 +(5x – y = 2) +5x – y = +2 Step 3: Solve for the variable. x + y = 10 +5x – y = +2 6x = 12 x = 2
  • 7.
    x + y= 10 5x – y = 2 Step 4: Solve for the other variable by substituting into either equation. x + y = 10 2 + y = 10 y = 8 Solution to the system is (2,8).
  • 8.
    x + y= 10 5x – y = 2 Step 5: Check the solution in both equations. x + y =10 2 + 8 =10 10=10 5x – y =2 5(2) - (8) =2 10 – 8 =2 2=2 Solution to the system is (2,8).
  • 9.
    NOW solve theseusing elimination: 1. 2. 2x + 4y =1 x - 4y =5 2x – y =6 x + y = 3
  • 10.
    Using Elimination toSolve a Word Problem: Two angles are supplementary. The measure of one angle is 10 degrees more than three times the other. Find the measure of each angle.
  • 11.
    Using Elimination toSolve a Word Problem: Two angles are supplementary. The measure of one angle is 10 more than three times the other. Find the measure of each angle. x = degree measure of angle #1 y = degree measure of angle #2 Therefore x + y = 180
  • 12.
    Using Elimination toSolve a Word Problem: Two angles are supplementary. The measure of one angle is 10 more than three times the other. Find the measure of each angle. x + y = 180 x =10 + 3y
  • 13.
    Using Elimination toSolve a Word Problem: Solve x + y = 180 x =10 + 3y x + y = 180 -(x - 3y = 10) 4y =170 y = 42.5 x + 42.5 = 180 x = 180 - 42.5 x = 137.5 (137.5, 42.5)
  • 14.
    Using Elimination toSolve a Word Problem: The sum of two numbers is 70 and their difference is 24. Find the two numbers.
  • 15.
    Using Elimination toSolve a Word problem: The sum of two numbers is 70 and their difference is 24. Find the two numbers. x = first number y = second number Therefore, x + y = 70
  • 16.
    Using Elimination toSolve a Word Problem: The sum of two numbers is 70 and their difference is 24. Find the two numbers. x + y = 70 x – y = 24
  • 17.
    Using Elimination toSolve a Word Problem: x + y =70 x - y = 24 2x = 94 x = 47 47 + y = 70 y = 70 – 47 y = 23 (47, 23)
  • 18.
    Now you Tryto Solve These Problems Using Elimination. Solve 1. Find two numbers whose sum is 18 and whose difference is 22. 2. The sum of two numbers is 128 and their difference is 114. Find the numbers.