Solve {l}{400=x+16y}{640=x+40y}

$$\left. \begin{array} { l } { 400 = x + 16 y } \\ { 640 = x + 40 y } \end{array} \right.$$

Solve for x, y

$$x=240$$

$$y=10$$

Steps Using Substitution

Consider the first equation. Swap sides so that all variable terms are on the left hand side.

$$x+16y=400$$

Consider the second equation. Swap sides so that all variable terms are on the left hand side.

$$x+40y=640$$

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.

$$x+16y=400,x+40y=640$$

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

$$x+16y=400$$

Subtract 16y from both sides of the equation.

$$x=-16y+400$$

Substitute -16y+400 for x in the other equation, x+40y=640.

$$-16y+400+40y=640$$

Add -16y to 40y.

$$24y+400=640$$

Subtract 400 from both sides of the equation.

$$24y=240$$

Divide both sides by 24.

$$y=10$$

Substitute 10 for y in x=-16y+400. Because the resulting equation contains only one variable, you can solve for x directly.

$$x=-16\times 10+400$$

Multiply -16 times 10.

$$x=-160+400$$

Add 400 to -160.

$$x=240$$

The system is now solved.

$$x=240,y=10$$

Steps Using Matrices

Consider the first equation. Swap sides so that all variable terms are on the left hand side.

$$x+16y=400$$

Consider the second equation. Swap sides so that all variable terms are on the left hand side.

$$x+40y=640$$

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

$$x+16y=400,x+40y=640$$

Write the equations in matrix form.

$$\left(\begin{matrix}1&16\\1&40\end{matrix}\right)\left(\begin{matrix}x\\y\end{matrix}\right)=\left(\begin{matrix}400\\640\end{matrix}\right)$$

Left multiply the equation by the inverse matrix of \left(\begin{matrix}1&16\\1&40\end{matrix}\right).

$$inverse(\left(\begin{matrix}1&16\\1&40\end{matrix}\right))\left(\begin{matrix}1&16\\1&40\end{matrix}\right)\left(\begin{matrix}x\\y\end{matrix}\right)=inverse(\left(\begin{matrix}1&16\\1&40\end{matrix}\right))\left(\begin{matrix}400\\640\end{matrix}\right)$$

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

$$\left(\begin{matrix}1&0\\0&1\end{matrix}\right)\left(\begin{matrix}x\\y\end{matrix}\right)=inverse(\left(\begin{matrix}1&16\\1&40\end{matrix}\right))\left(\begin{matrix}400\\640\end{matrix}\right)$$

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

$$\left(\begin{matrix}x\\y\end{matrix}\right)=inverse(\left(\begin{matrix}1&16\\1&40\end{matrix}\right))\left(\begin{matrix}400\\640\end{matrix}\right)$$

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.

$$\left(\begin{matrix}x\\y\end{matrix}\right)=\left(\begin{matrix}\frac{40}{40-16}&-\frac{16}{40-16}\\-\frac{1}{40-16}&\frac{1}{40-16}\end{matrix}\right)\left(\begin{matrix}400\\640\end{matrix}\right)$$

Do the arithmetic.

$$\left(\begin{matrix}x\\y\end{matrix}\right)=\left(\begin{matrix}\frac{5}{3}&-\frac{2}{3}\\-\frac{1}{24}&\frac{1}{24}\end{matrix}\right)\left(\begin{matrix}400\\640\end{matrix}\right)$$

Multiply the matrices.

$$\left(\begin{matrix}x\\y\end{matrix}\right)=\left(\begin{matrix}\frac{5}{3}\times 400-\frac{2}{3}\times 640\\-\frac{1}{24}\times 400+\frac{1}{24}\times 640\end{matrix}\right)$$

Do the arithmetic.

$$\left(\begin{matrix}x\\y\end{matrix}\right)=\left(\begin{matrix}240\\10\end{matrix}\right)$$

Extract the matrix elements x and y.

$$x=240,y=10$$

Steps Using Elimination

Consider the first equation. Swap sides so that all variable terms are on the left hand side.

$$x+16y=400$$

Consider the second equation. Swap sides so that all variable terms are on the left hand side.

$$x+40y=640$$

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.

$$x+16y=400,x+40y=640$$

Subtract x+40y=640 from x+16y=400 by subtracting like terms on each side of the equal sign.

$$x-x+16y-40y=400-640$$

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

$$16y-40y=400-640$$

Add 16y to -40y.

$$-24y=400-640$$

Add 400 to -640.

$$-24y=-240$$

Divide both sides by -24.

$$y=10$$

Substitute 10 for y in x+40y=640. Because the resulting equation contains only one variable, you can solve for x directly.

$$x+40\times 10=640$$

Multiply 40 times 10.

$$x+400=640$$

Subtract 400 from both sides of the equation.

$$x=240$$

The system is now solved.

$$x=240,y=10$$