Question

SOLVE:-3a-5b=-17 3a+8b=5

Answer 1

elimination or substitution?

Answer 2

Are you solving for A or B? Or does A or B already have a value? You are not being very clear about the problem.

Answer 3

rearranging equation 2 gives 3a=5-8b
substituting in eqyation 1 gives -(5-8b)-5b=-17
simplifying to -5+8b-5b=-17
add 5 to both sides and combine b's to get 3b=-12
divide both sides by 3 to get b=-4

substitute -4 in either equation for b and solve to get a=37/3