Systems of Equations
Help Questions
SAT Math › Systems of Equations
Solve the system: $\begin{cases}2x+y=9\\ -3x+2y=-3\end{cases}$. Which ordered pair $(x,y)$ is the solution?
(3, 3)
(1, 7)
(4, 1)
(2, 5)
Explanation
Multiply the first equation by 3 and the second by 2: $6x+3y=27$ and $-6x+4y=-6$; adding gives $7y=21\Rightarrow y=3$, then $x=3$. The other options result from arithmetic or sign errors when combining equations.
Solve the system: $\begin{cases}x+y=11\\ 2x-y=7\end{cases}$. Which ordered pair $(x,y)$ is the solution?
(4, 7)
(5, 6)
(7, 4)
(6, 5)
Explanation
Add the equations to eliminate $y$: $(x+y)+(2x-y)=11+7\Rightarrow 3x=18\Rightarrow x=6$, then $y=11-6=5$. The distractors come from swapping $x$ and $y$ or miscomputing during elimination.
Solve the system: $\begin{cases}0.5x+y=7\\ x-y=5\end{cases}$. Which ordered pair $(x,y)$ is the solution?
(8, 3)
(7, 2)
(8, -3)
(3, 8)
Explanation
Multiply the first equation by 2 to get $x+2y=14$, then subtract $(x-y=5)$ to obtain $3y=9\Rightarrow y=3$ and $x=8$. Other choices reflect swapping coordinates, sign errors, or coefficient arithmetic slips.
Solve the system: $\begin{cases}3x-2y=1\\ x+y=7\end{cases}$. Which ordered pair $(x,y)$ is the solution?
(5, 2)
(2, 5)
(3, 4)
(4, 3)
Explanation
Use $x=7-y$ in $3x-2y=1$: $3(7-y)-2y=1\Rightarrow 21-3y-2y=1\Rightarrow 5y=20\Rightarrow y=4$ and then $x=3$. Distractors come from swapping $x$ and $y$ or arithmetic mistakes when combining terms.
Solve the system: $\begin{cases}2x+3y=17\\ x-y=1\end{cases}$. Which ordered pair $(x,y)$ is the solution?
(4, -3)
(3, 4)
(5, 2)
(4, 3)
Explanation
From $x-y=1$, substitute $x=y+1$ into $2x+3y=17$ to get $2(y+1)+3y=17\Rightarrow 5y=15\Rightarrow y=3$, then $x=4$. The other choices reflect swapped coordinates, sign errors, or arithmetic slips.
Which ordered pair ($x$, $y$) satisfies the system $2(x + y) = 14$ and $3x - y = 5$?
(2, 5)
(3, 4)
(4, 3)
(3, -4)
Explanation
From $2(x + y) = 14$, simplify to $x + y = 7$; adding with $3x - y = 5$ gives $4x = 12$, so $x = 3$ and $y = 4$. Other choices either swap the values or satisfy only one of the equations.
Which ordered pair ($x$, $y$) satisfies the system $0.5x + 0.25y = 1.75$ and $1.5x - 0.5y = 1.5$?
(4, 7)
(2, -3)
(2, 3)
(3, 2)
Explanation
Clear decimals: $0.5x + 0.25y = 1.75 \Rightarrow 2x + y = 7$ and $1.5x - 0.5y = 1.5 \Rightarrow 3x - y = 3$; adding gives $5x = 10$, so $x = 2$ and $y = 3$. The distractors stem from swapping coordinates or sign/scaling errors.
Which ordered pair ($x$, $y$) satisfies the system $x + y = 8$ and $2x + y = 11$?
(3, -5)
(3, 5)
(5, 3)
(8, 3)
Explanation
Subtract the first equation from the second to get $x = 3$, then $y = 8 - 3 = 5$. The distractors come from swapping coordinates, sign errors, or ignoring one equation.
Which ordered pair ($x$, $y$) satisfies the system $3x - 2y = 4$ and $x + y = 8$?
(6, 2)
(2, 6)
(4, 4)
(4, -4)
Explanation
From $x + y = 8$, substitute $y = 8 - x$ into $3x - 2y = 4$ to get $3x - 2(8 - x) = 4$, which simplifies to $5x = 20$ and $x = 4$, $y = 4$. Other choices either only satisfy one equation or use a sign mistake.
Which ordered pair ($x$, $y$) satisfies the system $x + y = 9$ and $x - y = 3$?
(3, 6)
(6, -3)
(12, 9)
(6, 3)
Explanation
Add the equations to get $2x = 12$, so $x = 6$, and then $y = 9 - 6 = 3$. The other choices reflect swapping $x$ and $y$ or sign/arithmetic slips.