Precalculus Examples

$a x + 5 y = b$ , $2 x - 3 y = - 5$

Step 1

Solve the equation for $a$ .

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Step 1.1

Subtract $5 y$ from both sides of the equation.

$a x = b - 5 y$

$2 x - 3 y = - 5$

Step 1.2

Divide each term in $a x = b - 5 y$ by $x$ and simplify.

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Step 1.2.1

Divide each term in $a x = b - 5 y$ by $x$ .

$\frac{a x}{x} = \frac{b}{x} + \frac{- 5 y}{x}$

$2 x - 3 y = - 5$

Step 1.2.2

Simplify the left side.

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Step 1.2.2.1

Cancel the common factor of $x$ .

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Step 1.2.2.1.1

Cancel the common factor.

$\frac{a x}{x} = \frac{b}{x} + \frac{- 5 y}{x}$

$2 x - 3 y = - 5$

Step 1.2.2.1.2

Divide $a$ by $1$ .

$a = \frac{b}{x} + \frac{- 5 y}{x}$

$2 x - 3 y = - 5$

$a = \frac{b}{x} + \frac{- 5 y}{x}$

$2 x - 3 y = - 5$

$a = \frac{b}{x} + \frac{- 5 y}{x}$

$2 x - 3 y = - 5$

Step 1.2.3

Simplify the right side.

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Step 1.2.3.1

Move the negative in front of the fraction.

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

$2 x - 3 y = - 5$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

$2 x - 3 y = - 5$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

$2 x - 3 y = - 5$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

$2 x - 3 y = - 5$

Step 2

Solve the equation for $x$ .

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Step 2.1

Add $3 y$ to both sides of the equation.

$2 x = - 5 + 3 y$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

Step 2.2

Divide each term in $2 x = - 5 + 3 y$ by $2$ and simplify.

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Step 2.2.1

Divide each term in $2 x = - 5 + 3 y$ by $2$ .

$\frac{2 x}{2} = \frac{- 5}{2} + \frac{3 y}{2}$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

Step 2.2.2

Simplify the left side.

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Step 2.2.2.1

Cancel the common factor of $2$ .

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Step 2.2.2.1.1

Cancel the common factor.

$\frac{2 x}{2} = \frac{- 5}{2} + \frac{3 y}{2}$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

Step 2.2.2.1.2

Divide $x$ by $1$ .

$x = \frac{- 5}{2} + \frac{3 y}{2}$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

$x = \frac{- 5}{2} + \frac{3 y}{2}$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

$x = \frac{- 5}{2} + \frac{3 y}{2}$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

Step 2.2.3

Simplify the right side.

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Step 2.2.3.1

Move the negative in front of the fraction.

$x = - \frac{5}{2} + \frac{3 y}{2}$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

$x = - \frac{5}{2} + \frac{3 y}{2}$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

$x = - \frac{5}{2} + \frac{3 y}{2}$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

$x = - \frac{5}{2} + \frac{3 y}{2}$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

Step 3

Solve the equation for $y$ .

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Step 3.1

Simplify $(\frac{b}{- \frac{5}{2} + \frac{3 y}{2}} - \frac{5 y}{- \frac{5}{2} + \frac{3 y}{2}}) \cdot (- \frac{5}{2} + \frac{3 y}{2}) + 5 y$ .

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Step 3.1.1

Simplify each term.

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Step 3.1.1.1

Combine the numerators over the common denominator.

$\frac{b - 5 y}{- \frac{5}{2} + \frac{3 y}{2}} \cdot (- \frac{5}{2} + \frac{3 y}{2}) + 5 y = b$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

Step 3.1.1.2

Combine the numerators over the common denominator.

$\frac{b - 5 y}{\frac{- 5 + 3 y}{2}} \cdot (- \frac{5}{2} + \frac{3 y}{2}) + 5 y = b$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

Step 3.1.1.3

Multiply the numerator by the reciprocal of the denominator.

$(b - 5 y) (\frac{2}{- 5 + 3 y}) \cdot (- \frac{5}{2} + \frac{3 y}{2}) + 5 y = b$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

Step 3.1.1.4

Multiply $b - 5 y$ by $\frac{2}{- 5 + 3 y}$ .

$\frac{(b - 5 y) \cdot 2}{- 5 + 3 y} \cdot (- \frac{5}{2} + \frac{3 y}{2}) + 5 y = b$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

Step 3.1.1.5

Move $2$ to the left of $b - 5 y$ .

$\frac{2 \cdot (b - 5 y)}{- 5 + 3 y} \cdot (- \frac{5}{2} + \frac{3 y}{2}) + 5 y = b$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

Step 3.1.1.6

Multiply $\frac{2 (b - 5 y)}{- 5 + 3 y}$ by $- \frac{5}{2} + \frac{3 y}{2}$ .

$\frac{2 (b - 5 y) (- \frac{5}{2} + \frac{3 y}{2})}{- 5 + 3 y} + 5 y = b$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

Step 3.1.1.7

Simplify the numerator.

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Step 3.1.1.7.1

Combine the numerators over the common denominator.

$\frac{2 (b - 5 y) (\frac{- 5 + 3 y}{2})}{- 5 + 3 y} + 5 y = b$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

Step 3.1.1.7.2

Combine $\frac{- 5 + 3 y}{2}$ and $2$ .

$\frac{\frac{(- 5 + 3 y) \cdot 2}{2} \cdot (b - 5 y)}{- 5 + 3 y} + 5 y = b$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

Step 3.1.1.7.3

Reduce the expression by cancelling the common factors.

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Step 3.1.1.7.3.1

Reduce the expression $\frac{(- 5 + 3 y) \cdot 2}{2}$ by cancelling the common factors.

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Step 3.1.1.7.3.1.1

Cancel the common factor.

$\frac{\frac{(- 5 + 3 y) \cdot 2}{2} \cdot (b - 5 y)}{- 5 + 3 y} + 5 y = b$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

Step 3.1.1.7.3.1.2

Rewrite the expression.

$\frac{\frac{- 5 + 3 y}{1} \cdot (b - 5 y)}{- 5 + 3 y} + 5 y = b$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

$\frac{\frac{- 5 + 3 y}{1} \cdot (b - 5 y)}{- 5 + 3 y} + 5 y = b$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

Step 3.1.1.7.3.2

Divide $- 5 + 3 y$ by $1$ .

$\frac{(- 5 + 3 y) (b - 5 y)}{- 5 + 3 y} + 5 y = b$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

$\frac{(- 5 + 3 y) (b - 5 y)}{- 5 + 3 y} + 5 y = b$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

$\frac{(- 5 + 3 y) (b - 5 y)}{- 5 + 3 y} + 5 y = b$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

Step 3.1.1.8

Cancel the common factor of $- 5 + 3 y$ .

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Step 3.1.1.8.1

Cancel the common factor.

$\frac{(- 5 + 3 y) (b - 5 y)}{- 5 + 3 y} + 5 y = b$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

Step 3.1.1.8.2

Divide $b - 5 y$ by $1$ .

$b - 5 y + 5 y = b$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

$b - 5 y + 5 y = b$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

$b - 5 y + 5 y = b$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

Step 3.1.2

Combine the opposite terms in $b - 5 y + 5 y$ .

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Step 3.1.2.1

Add $- 5 y$ and $5 y$ .

$b + 0 = b$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

Step 3.1.2.2

Add $b$ and $0$ .

$b = b$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

$b = b$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

$b = b$

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

Step 3.2

The variable $y$ got canceled.

All real numbers

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$

All real numbers

$a = \frac{b}{x} - \frac{5 y}{x}$