Name: bryce

Who is asking: Parent
Level: Middle

Question:
solve the following problem by setting them equal to each other. Solve for x and y. Where do the lines y=2x-4 and y=x-1 intesect?

Suppose that P is a point on the line y = 2x - 4 with coordinates (x,y), then x and y are related by the equation. That is if, for example you know that x = 1 then y = 2(1) - 4 = -2. Likewise if P, with coordinates (x,y), is on y = x - 1.

Thus if P is on BOTH lines and you know the x-coordinate then you can find the y-coordinate by either y = 2x - 4 or y = x - 1. In other words 2x - 4 = x - 1. Solve this latter equation for x. (This is what is meant by "solve the following problem by setting them equal to each other".) Once you have the x-coordinate you can find the y-coordinate from either y = 2x - 4 or y = x - 1.