Solve {l}{2a-3b=4}{7b=4a+4}

$$\left\{ \begin{array} { l } { 2 a - 3 b = 4 } \\ { 7 b = 4 a + 4 } \end{array} \right.$$

Solve for a, b

$$a=20$$

$$b=12$$

Steps Using Substitution

Consider the second equation. Subtract 4a from both sides.

$$7b-4a=4$$

To solve a pair of equations using substitution, first solve one of the equations for one of the variables. Then substitute the result for that variable in the other equation.

$$2a-3b=4,-4a+7b=4$$

Choose one of the equations and solve it for a by isolating a on the left hand side of the equal sign.

$$2a-3b=4$$

Add 3b to both sides of the equation.

$$2a=3b+4$$

Divide both sides by 2.

$$a=\frac{1}{2}\left(3b+4\right)$$

Multiply \frac{1}{2} times 3b+4.

$$a=\frac{3}{2}b+2$$

Substitute \frac{3b}{2}+2 for a in the other equation, -4a+7b=4.

$$-4\left(\frac{3}{2}b+2\right)+7b=4$$

Multiply -4 times \frac{3b}{2}+2.

$$-6b-8+7b=4$$

Add -6b to 7b.

$$b-8=4$$

Add 8 to both sides of the equation.

$$b=12$$

Substitute 12 for b in a=\frac{3}{2}b+2. Because the resulting equation contains only one variable, you can solve for a directly.

$$a=\frac{3}{2}\times 12+2$$

Multiply \frac{3}{2} times 12.

$$a=18+2$$

Add 2 to 18.

$$a=20$$

The system is now solved.

$$a=20,b=12$$

Steps Using Matrices

Consider the second equation. Subtract 4a from both sides.

$$7b-4a=4$$

Put the equations in standard form and then use matrices to solve the system of equations.

$$2a-3b=4,-4a+7b=4$$

Write the equations in matrix form.

$$\left(\begin{matrix}2&-3\\-4&7\end{matrix}\right)\left(\begin{matrix}a\\b\end{matrix}\right)=\left(\begin{matrix}4\\4\end{matrix}\right)$$

Left multiply the equation by the inverse matrix of \left(\begin{matrix}2&-3\\-4&7\end{matrix}\right).

$$inverse(\left(\begin{matrix}2&-3\\-4&7\end{matrix}\right))\left(\begin{matrix}2&-3\\-4&7\end{matrix}\right)\left(\begin{matrix}a\\b\end{matrix}\right)=inverse(\left(\begin{matrix}2&-3\\-4&7\end{matrix}\right))\left(\begin{matrix}4\\4\end{matrix}\right)$$

The product of a matrix and its inverse is the identity matrix.

$$\left(\begin{matrix}1&0\\0&1\end{matrix}\right)\left(\begin{matrix}a\\b\end{matrix}\right)=inverse(\left(\begin{matrix}2&-3\\-4&7\end{matrix}\right))\left(\begin{matrix}4\\4\end{matrix}\right)$$

Multiply the matrices on the left hand side of the equal sign.

$$\left(\begin{matrix}a\\b\end{matrix}\right)=inverse(\left(\begin{matrix}2&-3\\-4&7\end{matrix}\right))\left(\begin{matrix}4\\4\end{matrix}\right)$$

For the 2\times 2 matrix \left(\begin{matrix}a&b\\c&d\end{matrix}\right), the inverse matrix is \left(\begin{matrix}\frac{d}{ad-bc}&\frac{-b}{ad-bc}\\\frac{-c}{ad-bc}&\frac{a}{ad-bc}\end{matrix}\right), so the matrix equation can be rewritten as a matrix multiplication problem.

$$\left(\begin{matrix}a\\b\end{matrix}\right)=\left(\begin{matrix}\frac{7}{2\times 7-\left(-3\left(-4\right)\right)}&-\frac{-3}{2\times 7-\left(-3\left(-4\right)\right)}\\-\frac{-4}{2\times 7-\left(-3\left(-4\right)\right)}&\frac{2}{2\times 7-\left(-3\left(-4\right)\right)}\end{matrix}\right)\left(\begin{matrix}4\\4\end{matrix}\right)$$

Do the arithmetic.

$$\left(\begin{matrix}a\\b\end{matrix}\right)=\left(\begin{matrix}\frac{7}{2}&\frac{3}{2}\\2&1\end{matrix}\right)\left(\begin{matrix}4\\4\end{matrix}\right)$$

Multiply the matrices.

$$\left(\begin{matrix}a\\b\end{matrix}\right)=\left(\begin{matrix}\frac{7}{2}\times 4+\frac{3}{2}\times 4\\2\times 4+4\end{matrix}\right)$$

Do the arithmetic.

$$\left(\begin{matrix}a\\b\end{matrix}\right)=\left(\begin{matrix}20\\12\end{matrix}\right)$$

Extract the matrix elements a and b.

$$a=20,b=12$$

Steps Using Elimination

Consider the second equation. Subtract 4a from both sides.

$$7b-4a=4$$

In order to solve by elimination, coefficients of one of the variables must be the same in both equations so that the variable will cancel out when one equation is subtracted from the other.

$$2a-3b=4,-4a+7b=4$$

To make 2a and -4a equal, multiply all terms on each side of the first equation by -4 and all terms on each side of the second by 2.

$$-4\times 2a-4\left(-3\right)b=-4\times 4,2\left(-4\right)a+2\times 7b=2\times 4$$

Simplify.

$$-8a+12b=-16,-8a+14b=8$$

Subtract -8a+14b=8 from -8a+12b=-16 by subtracting like terms on each side of the equal sign.

$$-8a+8a+12b-14b=-16-8$$

Add -8a to 8a. Terms -8a and 8a cancel out, leaving an equation with only one variable that can be solved.

$$12b-14b=-16-8$$

Add 12b to -14b.

$$-2b=-16-8$$

Add -16 to -8.

$$-2b=-24$$

Divide both sides by -2.

$$b=12$$

Substitute 12 for b in -4a+7b=4. Because the resulting equation contains only one variable, you can solve for a directly.

$$-4a+7\times 12=4$$

Multiply 7 times 12.

$$-4a+84=4$$

Subtract 84 from both sides of the equation.

$$-4a=-80$$

Divide both sides by -4.

$$a=20$$

The system is now solved.

$$a=20,b=12$$