3
a y = - --- x
4
4x - 5y = 0
For what values of a does the system of equations of linear equations in the variables x and y have infinitely many solutions?
start by placing both in slope-intercept form (y=mx+b)
so you have a(y)=-3/4x
and y=4/5x
in order for a system of linear equations to have infinitely many solutions the have to have the same slope and intercept, right now
-3/4 \(\neq\)4/5
so we have to figure what "a" needs to equal in order form the lines to be the same.
so (-3/4)/x=4/5
solve for x
x=(4/5)*(-3/4)
x=-3/5
so we know that "A' is going to be the reciprical of x**
A=-5/3
**how we decided X and why we know that x= the recipricle
so ay=-3/4x
so it would end up being y= ((-3/4)/a)x
and dividing by a fraction is the same as multiplying by its reciprical.
For what values of a does the system of equations of linear equations
in the variables x and y have infinitely many solutions?
\(\begin{array}{|rcll|} \hline ay &=& -\frac{3}{4}x \\ 4x-5y &=& 0 \\ \hline \end{array} \)
\(\begin{array}{|rcll|} \hline ay &=& -\frac{3}{4}x \quad &| \quad + \frac{3}{4}x \\ \frac{3}{4}x + ay &=& 0 \quad &| \quad \cdot \frac{16}{3} \\ 4x + \frac{16}{3}ay &=& 0 \\ \hline \end{array}\)
infinitely many solutions, if \(\frac{16}{3}a = -5\)
\(\begin{array}{|rcll|} \hline \frac{16}{3}a &=& -5 \quad &| \quad \cdot \frac{3}{16} \\ a &=& -5\cdot \frac{3}{16} \\ a &=& -\frac{15}{16} \\ \hline \end{array}\)