Question

If you wanted to eliminate the y variable by adding the two equations in the following system, what could be your first step?

2x − 4y = 6
3x − y = 12

Add the two equations together

Multiply the first equation by −4

Multiply the second equation by −4

Multiply the second equation by 4

Answer 1

What's the value of the Y term in your first equation?

Answer 2

have them be opposite:

Answer 3

Depends if you were solving for x, or if you were solving for y.

If you were solving for x, you would have to eliminate the y.
In order to do that we would have to make it similar to the "y" in the first equation, that is by making it positive with the same value so we could cancel it by elimination method.

Answer 4

It says eliminate y in the first sentence of the question

Answer 5

So if you have -4y in the first equation, what would we have to do to the -y in the second equation to equal it to the y in the first equation to cancel it out?

Answer 6

You have -4y on top, so you want something to cancel it out when you add. That would be it's opposite: 4y. So you want to go from -y to +4y.

Answer 7

You all should save your breath. I waited for a few minutes after I posted my response before I mouse overed his name and discovered he was off-line.

Answer 8

multiply the second equation by -4 and add to first equation.