The graph below represents a system of equations.

A line passing through (-2, 0) and (0, -3), another line passing through (0, 1) and (2, 0) intersect at (-4, 3).

Which of the following statements is true?

A.
The system has infinite solutions.

B.
The solutions to the system are
and
.

C.
The solution to the system is
.

D.
The system has no solution.

1 answer

To determine the correct statement based on the information provided about the system of equations, let's analyze the situation further.

  1. Identifying the lines:

    • The first line passes through the points (-2, 0) and (0, -3). We can calculate its slope and equation:

      • The slope (m) is calculated as: \[ m = \frac{-3 - 0}{0 - (-2)} = \frac{-3}{2} \]
      • Using the point-slope form (y - y₁ = m(x - x₁)) with the point (0, -3): \[ y + 3 = -\frac{3}{2}(x - 0) \] Simplifying gives: \[ y = -\frac{3}{2}x - 3 \]
    • The second line passes through the points (0, 1) and (2, 0):

      • The slope (m) is: \[ m = \frac{0 - 1}{2 - 0} = \frac{-1}{2} \]
      • Using the point-slope form with the point (0, 1): \[ y - 1 = -\frac{1}{2}(x - 0) \] Simplifying gives: \[ y = -\frac{1}{2}x + 1 \]
  2. Finding the intersection:

    • According to your description, these two lines intersect at (-4, 3). To confirm this is the solution of the system of equations, we check if (-4, 3) satisfies both equations.
      • For the first line \(y = -\frac{3}{2}x - 3\): \[ 3 = -\frac{3}{2}(-4) - 3 \] \[ 3 = 6 - 3 \quad \text{(True)} \]
      • For the second line \(y = -\frac{1}{2}x + 1\): \[ 3 = -\frac{1}{2}(-4) + 1 \] \[ 3 = 2 + 1 \quad \text{(True)} \]
  3. Interpreting the results:

    • Both lines intersect at the point (-4, 3). Therefore, this point is the only solution to the system of equations.

Given this analysis, we can evaluate the statements:

A. The system has infinite solutions. ➔ False (They intersect at one point). B. The solutions to the system are and . ➔ Incomplete. C. The solution to the system is . ➔ True (but not 100% complete without specifying the coordinates). D. The system has no solution. ➔ False (there is a point of intersection).

The most accurate statement among the provided options is C, indicating that the solution to the system is the point where the two lines intersect, which is (-4, 3).