Question

Tatum wants to solve the following system of equations by using the elimination method. What integer should she multiply the second equation by to eliminate a variable when you add the equations?

6x + 3y = 14
3x + 2y = 10

Answer 1

To eliminate a variable when adding the equations, we need to multiply one of the equations by a number so that when we add it to the other equation, one of the variables will cancel out.

In this case, the variable y can be eliminated by multiplying the second equation by 3.

3(3x + 2y) = 3(10)
9x + 6y = 30

Now, when we add this equation to the first equation, the y variable will be eliminated:

6x + 3y + 9x + 6y = 14 + 30
15x + 9y = 44

Now Tatum can solve for x and y by continuing to use the elimination method.