Please don’t worry and simply solve the following system of equations. (Would be best to solve it before looking at others’ answers…)
2x÷3y = 1/3
4x÷3y = 2/3
Thanks in advance for your patience.
I sucks at math. But I think that…
x = .5 and y = 1 ???
I am not sure you can solve it - the second equation is the first one multiplied by 2. No new info there to solve for x and y.
I meant - you can’t solve for unique x and y values.
The second one isn’t the first multiplied by two.
Look again.
Any non-zero y that is twice x works.
I suspect a typo in the OP.
Agreed. The equations are the same.
Yup, those are divide signs there all right - would read more clearly as:
2x / 3y = 1/3
4x / 3y = 2/3
for which 2x = y with infinite solutions.
Mind you, I’m kinda mentally putting brackets around the 2x and 3y etc, and by strict left-right evaluation with equal operator precedence, this would really be
2 times x, then divide by 3, then all times y, = 1/3
i.e. (2xy)/3 = 1/3. So xy = 1/2
Similarly 4xy/3 = 2/3 and again, xy = 1/2
Infinite solutions again.
No, not a typo, just me trying (for good but tedious reasons) to do this without actual fraction bars and getting screwed up in the head as a result.
I’ll post a different system in another thread. Sorry!
Post a link in this thread when you do.
y=2x in both equations.
I am getting 2x=y.
What is the catch?
No? Sure looks as if it is.
No unique solution.
Told you I sucks at math.
I get y=2x for both.
No, you’re right - x = .5 and y = 1 is one *possible *solution. In other words:
2(.5)/3(1) = 1/3
4(.5)/3(1) = 2/3
But remember, if you multiply both the numerator and the denominator of a fraction by the same number, you get an equivalent fraction:
1/3 = 2/6 = 3/9 = 4/12… etc.
2/3 = 4/6 = 6/9 = 8/12… etc.
So as long as your x and y values always have the same relationship (that is, 2x = y), there can be infinite solutions:
x = 1 and y = 2:
2(1)/3(2) = 2/6 (which = 1/3)
4(1)/3(2) = 4/6 (which = 2/3)
x = 2 and y = 4:
2(2)/3(4) = 4/12 (which = 1/3)
4(2)/3(4) = 8/12 (which = 2/3)
…and so on.
And yeah, if that’s not the answer Frylock is looking for, I’m also curious to know why.
2x / 3y = 1/3
4x / 3y = 2/3
2x = 3y * 1/3
2x = y
x = y/2
2(y/2) / 3y = 1/3
y/3y = 1/3
y = 1
2x / 3 = 1/3
x = 1/3 * 3/2
x = ½
Check:
2(1/2) / 3(1) = 1/3
1 / 3 = 1/3
4(1/2) / 3(1) = 2/3
2 / 3 = 2/3
As others noted, the answer is not unique.
This doesn’t work.
ditto
Well, I suck at math.
Just doing it in my head, it would seem that x=.5 and y=1
Now looking at other answers, I see that any number works.