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Ch. 5 - Systems and Matrices
Lial - College Algebra 13th Edition
Lial13th EditionCollege AlgebraISBN: 9780136881063Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 6, Problem 20

Solve each nonlinear system of equations. Give all solutions, including those with nonreal complex components. See Examples 1–5.
y=6x+x2y=6x+x^2
4xy=34x-y=-3

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1
Start with the given system of equations: \(y = 6x + x^2\) and \$4x - y = -3$.
Substitute the expression for \(y\) from the first equation into the second equation to eliminate \(y\). This gives: \$4x - (6x + x^2) = -3$.
Simplify the equation obtained after substitution: \$4x - 6x - x^2 = -3\( which simplifies to \)-2x - x^2 = -3$.
Rewrite the equation in standard quadratic form by moving all terms to one side: \(-x^2 - 2x + 3 = 0\) or equivalently \(x^2 + 2x - 3 = 0\) (multiply both sides by -1).
Solve the quadratic equation \(x^2 + 2x - 3 = 0\) using the quadratic formula \(x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}\) where \(a=1\), \(b=2\), and \(c=-3\). After finding the values of \(x\), substitute each back into the original equation \(y = 6x + x^2\) to find the corresponding \(y\) values.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Nonlinear Systems of Equations

A nonlinear system involves at least one equation that is not linear, such as quadratic or higher-degree polynomials. Solving these systems requires methods beyond simple substitution or elimination used for linear systems, often involving substitution or factoring to find all possible solutions.
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Substitution Method

The substitution method involves solving one equation for one variable and substituting that expression into the other equation. This reduces the system to a single equation with one variable, which can then be solved using algebraic techniques, including solving quadratic equations.
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Complex Solutions

When solving nonlinear equations, solutions may include nonreal complex numbers, especially if the quadratic equation has a negative discriminant. Understanding how to find and interpret complex solutions is essential for providing all possible answers to the system.
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