College Algebra: Solving Two Equation Systems

  • 15 years ago
http://www.mindbites.com/lesson/799-college-algebra-solving-two-equation-systems In this lesson, we start by reviewing three-equation sets that give us independent systems (meet at one point), inconsistent solutions (don't have a solution) and dependent systems (meet on a line). Next, you will move onto the instance In which you have three variables but only two equations. To solve dual-equation system problems, you first work to cancel out one of the included variables. Next, you start over to eliminate a different one of the two variables. In the end, you may come up with an answer that implies an infinite number of solutions (a line) or no solution (an instance when the two equations can never intersect - generally a situation where two planes are running parallel to each other). Taught by Professor Edward Burger, this lesson was selected from a broader, comprehensive course, College Algebra. This course and others are available from Thinkwell, Inc. The full course can be found at http://www.thinkwell.com/student/product/collegealgebra. The full course covers equations and inequalities, relations and functions, polynomial and rational functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, systems of equations, conic sections and a variety of other AP algebra, advanced algebra and Algebra II topics. Edward Burger, Professor of Mathematics at Williams College, earned his Ph.D. at the University of Texas at Austin, having graduated summa cum laude with distinction in mathematics from Connecticut College. He has also taught at UT-Austin and the University of Colorado at Boulder, and he served as a fellow at the University of Waterloo in Canada and at Macquarie University in Australia. Prof. Burger has won many awards, including the 2001 Haimo Award for Distinguished Teaching of Mathematics, the 2004 Chauvenet Prize, and the 2006 Lester R. Ford Award, all from the Mathematical Association of America. In 2006, Reader's Digest named him in the "100 Best of America". Prof. Burger is the author of over 50 ...