Solving linear

equations

3.1
Introduction
Many problems in engineering reduce to the solution of an equation or a set of equations. An
equation is a type of mathematical expression which contains one or more unknown quantities
which you will be required to nd. In this Block we consider a particular type of equation
which contains a single unknown quantity, and is known as a linear equation. Later Blocks will
describe techniques for solving other types of equations.

Prerequisites
Before starting this Block you should . . .
be able to add, subtract, multiply and
divide fractions
be able to transpose formulae
Learning Outcomes
After completing this Block you should be able
to . . .
recognise and solve a linear equation
Learning Style
To achieve what is expected of you . . .
allocate sucient study time
briey revise the prerequisite material
attempt every guided exercise and most
of the other exercises
1. Linear equations
Key Point
A linear equation is an equation of the form
ax + b = 0 a = 0
where a and b are known numbers and x represents an unknown quantity which we must nd.
In the equation ax + b = 0, the number a is called the coecient of x, and the number b is
called the constant term.
The following are examples of linear equations
3x + 4 = 0, 2x + 3 = 0,
1
2
x 3 = 0
Note that the unknown, x, appears only to the rst power, that is as x, and not as x
2
,

x,
x
1/2
etc. Linear equations often appear in a nonstandard form, and also dierent letters are
sometimes used for the unknown quantity. For example
2x = x + 1 3t 7 = 17, 13 = 3z + 1, 1
1
2
y = 3
are all examples of linear equations. Where necessary the equations can be rearranged and
written in the form ax + b = 0. We will explain how to do this later in this Block.
Now do this exercise
Which of the following are linear equations and which are not linear?
(a) 3x + 7 = 0, (b) 3t + 17 = 0, (c) 3x
2
+ 7 = 0, (d) 5x = 0
The equations which can be written in the form ax + b = 0 are linear.
Answer
To solve a linear equation means to nd the value of x that can be substituted into the equation
so that the left-hand side equals the right-hand side. Any such value obtained is known as a
solution or root of the equation and the value of x is said to satisfy the equation.
Example Consider the linear equation 3x 2 = 10.
(a) Check that x = 4 is a solution.
(b) Check that x = 2 is not a solution.
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Solution
(a) To check that x = 4 is a solution we substitute the value for x and see if both sides of
the equation are equal. Evaluating the left-hand side we nd 3(4) 2 which equals 10,
the same as the right-hand side. So, x = 4 is a solution. We say that x = 4 satises the
equation.
(b) Substituting x = 2 into the left-hand side we nd 3(2) 2 which equals 4. Clearly the
left-hand side is not equal to 10 and so x = 2 is not a solution. The number x = 2 does
not satisfy the equation.
Try each part of this exercise
Test which of the given values are solutions of the equation
18 4x = 26
(a) x = 2, (b) x = 2, (c) x = 8
Part (a) Substituting x = 2, the left hand side equals
Answer
Part (b) Substituting x = 2, the left-hand side equals
Answer
Part (c) Substituting x = 8, the left-hand side equals
Answer
More exercises for you to try
1. (a) Write down the general form of a linear equation.
(b) Explain what is meant by the root or solution of a linear equation.
In questions 2-8 verify that the given value is a solution of the given equation.
2. 3x 7 = 28, x = 7
3. 8x 3 = 11, x = 1
4. 2x + 3 = 4, x =
1
2
5.
1
3
x +
4
3
= 2, x = 2
6. 7x + 7 = 7, x = 0
7. 11x 1 = 10, x = 1
8. 0.01x 1 = 0, x = 100.
Answer
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2. Solving a linear equation.
To solve a linear equation we try to make the unknown quantity the subject of the equation.
This means we attempt to obtain the unknown quantity on its own on the left-hand side. To do
this we may apply the same ve rules used for transposing formulae given in Chapter 1 Block
7. These are given again here.
Key Point
Operations which can be used in the process of solving a linear equation:
add the same quantity to both sides
subtract the same quantity from both sides
multiply both sides by the same quantity
divide both sides by the same quantity
take functions of both sides; for example square both sides.
A useful summary of these rules is whatever we do to one side of an equation we must also do
to the other.
Example Solve the equation x + 14 = 5.
Solution
Note that by subtracting 14 from both sides, we leave x on its own on the left. Thus
x + 14 14 = 5 14
x = 9
Hence the solution of the equation is x = 9. It is easy to check that this solution is correct
by substituting x = 9 into the original equation and checking that both sides are indeed the
same. You should get into the habit of doing this.
Example Solve the equation 19y = 38.
Solution
In order to make y the subject of the equation we can divide both sides by 19:
19y = 38
19y
19
=
38
19
cancelling 19s gives y =
38
19
so y = 2
Hence the solution of the equation is y = 2.
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Example Solve the equation 4x + 12 = 0.
Solution
Starting from 4x + 12 = 0 we can subtract 12 from both sides to obtain
4x + 12 12 = 0 12
so that 4x = 12
If we now divide both sides by 4 we nd
4x
4
=
12
4
cancelling 4s gives x = 3
So the solution is x = 3.
Now do this exercise
Solve the linear equation 14t 56 = 0.
Answer
Example Solve the following equations:
(a) x + 3 =

7,
(b) x + 3 =

7.
Solution
(a) Subtracting 3 from both sides gives x =

7 3.
(b) Subtracting 3 from both sides gives x =

7 3.
Note that when asked to solve x + 3 =

7 we can write the two solutions as x = 3

7.
It is usually acceptable to leave the solutions in this form (i.e. with the

7 term) rather than

calculate decimal approximations. This form is known as the surd form.
Example Solve the equation
2
3
(t + 7) = 5.
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Solution
There are a number of ways in which the solution can be obtained. The idea is to gradually
remove unwanted terms on the left-hand side to leave t on its own. By multiplying both sides
by
3
2
we nd
3
2

2
3
(t + 7) =
3
2
5
=
3
2

5
1
and after simplifying and cancelling, t + 7 =
15
2
Finally, subtracting 7 from both sides gives
t =
15
2
7
=
15
2

14
2
=
1
2
So the solution is t =
1
2
.
Example Solve the equation 3(p 2) + 2(p + 4) = 5.
Solution
At rst sight this may not appear to be in the form of a linear equation. Some preliminary work
is necessary. Removing the brackets and collecting like terms we nd the left-hand side yields
5p + 2 so the equation is 5p + 2 = 5 so that, nally, p =
3
5
.
Try each part of this exercise
Solve the equation 2(x 5) = 3 (x + 6).
Part (a) First remove the brackets on both sides.
Answer
We may write this as
2x 10 = x 3
We will try to rearrange this equation so that terms involving x appear only on the left-hand
side, and constants on the right.
Part (b) Start by adding 10 to both sides.
Answer
Part (c) Now add x to both sides.
Answer
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Part (d) Finally solve this to nd x.
Answer
Example Solve the equation
6
1 2x
=
7
x 2
Solution
This equation appears in an unfamiliar form but it can be rearranged into the standard form of
a linear equation. By multiplying both sides by (1 2x) and (x 2) we nd
(1 2x)(x 2)
6
1 2x
= (1 2x)(x 2)
7
x 2
Considering each side in turn and cancelling common factors:
6(x 2) = 7(1 2x)
Removing the brackets and rearranging to nd x we have
6x 12 = 7 14x
further rearrangement gives: 20x = 19
x =
19
20
The solution is therefore x =
19
20
.
Example Consider Figure 1 which shows three branches of an electrical circuit which
meet together at X. Point X is known as a node. As shown in Figure 1 the
current in each of the branches is denoted by I, I
1
and I
2
. Kirchhos current
law states that the current entering any node must equal the current leaving
that node. Thus we have the equation
I = I
1
+ I
2
I I
2
I
1
X
Figure 1.
(a) If I
2
= 10A and I = 18A calculate I
1
.
(b) Suppose I = 36A and it is known that current I
2
is ve times as great
as I
1
. Find the branch currents.
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Solution
(a) Substituting the given values into the equation we nd 18 = I
1
+ 10. Solving for I
1
we
nd
I
1
= 18 10 = 8
Thus I
1
equals 8 A.
(b) We are given that, from Kirchhos law, I = I
1
+ I
2
. We are told that I
2
is ve times as
great as I
1
, and so we can write I
2
= 5I
1
. Since I = 36 we have
36 = I
1
+ 5I
1
= 6I
1
Solving this linear equation 36 = 6I
1
gives I
1
= 6A. Finally, since I
2
is ve times as great
as I
1
, we have I
2
= 5I
1
= 30 A.
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More exercises for you to try
In questions 1-24 solve each equation:
1. 7x = 14 2. 3x = 6 3.
1
2
x = 7 4. 3x =
1
2
5. 4t = 2 6. 2t = 4 7. 4t = 2 8. 2t = 4
9.
x
6
= 3 10.
x
6
= 3 11. 7x + 2 = 9 12. 7x + 2 = 23
13. 7x + 1 = 6 14. 7x + 1 = 13 15.
17
3
t = 2 16. 3 x = 2x + 8
17. x 3 = 8 + 3x 18.
x
4
= 16 19.
x
9
= 2 20.
13
2
x = 14
21. 2y = 6 22. 7y = 11 23. 69y = 690 24. 8 = 4.
In questions 25 - 47 solve each equation:
25. 3y 8 =
1
2
y 26. 7t 5 = 4t + 7 27. 3x + 4 = 4x + 3
28. 4 3x = 4x + 3 29. 3x + 7 = 7x + 2 30. 3(x + 7) = 7(x + 2)
31. 2x 1 = x 3 32. 2(x + 4) = 8 33. 2(x 3) = 6
34. 2(x 3) = 6 35. 3(3x 1) = 2
36. 2 (2t + 1) = 4(t + 2) 37. 5(m3) = 8
38. 5m3 = 5(m3) + 2m 39. 2(y + 1) = 8
40. 17(x 2) + 3(x 1) = x 41.
1
3
(x + 3) = 9 42.
3
m
= 4
43.
5
m
=
2
m + 1
44. 3x + 3 = 18 45. 3x + 10 = 31
46. x + 4 =

8 47. x 4 =

23
48. If y = 2 nd x if 4x + 3y = 9 49. If y = 2 nd x if 4x + 5y = 3
50. If y = 0 nd x if 4x + 10y = 8 51. If x = 3 nd y if 2x + y = 8
52. If y = 10 nd x when 10x + 55y = 530 53. If = 2 nd if 54 = 4
In questions 54-63 solve each equation:
54.
x 5
2

2x 1
3
= 6 55.
x
4
+
3x
2

x
6
= 1 56.
x
2
+
4x
3
= 2x 7
57.
5
3m + 2
=
2
m + 1
58.
2
3x 2
=
5
x 1
59.
x 3
x + 1
= 4
60.
x + 1
x 3
= 4 61.
y 3
y + 3
=
2
3
62.
4x + 5
6

2x 1
3
= x
63.
3
2s 1
+
1
s + 1
= 0
64. Solve the linear equation ax + b = 0 to nd x
65. Solve the linear equation
1
ax + b
=
1
cx + d
to nd x
Answer
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End of Block 3.1
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(a) linear
(b) linear; the unknown is t
(c) not linear because of the term x
2
(d) linear; here the constant term is zero
Back to the theory
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10. But 10 = 26 so x = 2 is not a solution.
Back to the theory
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18 4(2) = 26. This is the same as the right-hand side, so x = 2 is a solution.
Back to the theory
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18 4(8) = 14. But 14 = 26 and so x = 8 is not a solution.
Back to the theory
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1. (a) The general form is ax + b = 0 where a and b are known numbers and x represents
the unknown quantity.
(b) A root is a value for the unknown which satises the equation.
Back to the theory
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t = 4
Back to the theory
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2x 10 = 3 x 6
Back to the theory
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2x = x + 7
Back to the theory
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18
3x = 7
Back to the theory
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7
3
Back to the theory
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1. 2 2. 2 3. 14 4.
1
6
5.
1
2
6. 2
7.
1
2
8. 2 9. 18 10. 18 11. 1 12. 3
13. 1 14. 2 15. 6/17 16. 5/3 17. 11/2 18. 64
19. 18 20. 28/13 21. y = 3 22. 11/7 23. y = 10 24. 2
25. 16/5 26. 4 27. 1 28. 1/7 29. 5/4 30. 7/4
31. 2 32. 0 33. 0 34. 6 35. 1/9 36. 7/6
37. 23/5 38. 6 39. 5 40. 37/19 41. 30 42. 3/4
43. 5/3 44. 5 45. 7 46.

8 4 47.

23 + 4 48. 3/4
49. 13/4 50. 2 51. 14 52. 2 53. 13 54. 49
55. 12/19 56. 42 57. 1 58. 8/13 59. 7/3 60. 13/3
61. 15 62. 7/6 63. 2/5 64. b/a 65.
d b
a c
Back to the theory
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