EQUATIONS

When simplifying algebraic expressions, we perform operations within parentheses first

and then exponents and then multiplication and then division and then addition and
lastly subtraction. This can be remembered by the mnemonic
PEMDAS

Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally

When solving equations, however, we apply the mnemonic in reverse order: SADMEP.
This is often expressed as follows: inverse operations in inverse order. The goal in
solving an equation is to isolate the variable on one side of the equal sign (usually the
left side). This is done by identifying the main operation addition, multiplication, etc. and
then performing the opposite operation.
An equation means that the terms on either side of the equal sign are equal in every
way. Hence, any property one side of an equation has the other side will have as well.
Following are some immediate deductions that can be made from simple equations.
Equation Deduction
y-x=1 y>x
. That is, x and y can differ only in
Sign
y=x

y>0

Both x and y are positive or both x and y are negative

y=x=0
3y=4x and x>0 and y is positive
and x<0 y < x and y is negative

y=2x y is even
y=2x+1 y is odd
 yx=0 y=0 or x=0, or both

 In Algebra, you solve an equation for, say, y by isolating y on one side of the
equality symbol. On the SAT, however, you are often asked to solve for an entire
term, say, 3 y by isolating it on one side.

 Sometimes on the SAT, a system of 3 equations will be written as one long

‘triple’ equation. For example, the three equations x = y, y = z, x = z, can be
written more compactly as x =y = z.

 Often on the SAT, you can solve a system of two equations in two unknowns by
merely adding or subtracting the equations instead of solving for one of the
variables and then substituting it into the other equation

METHOD OF SUBSTITUTION (Four-Step Method)

Although on the SAT you can usually solve a system of two equations in two unknowns
by merely adding or subtracting the equations, you still need to know a standard method
for solving these types of systems.
The four-step method will be illustrated with the following system:
2x + y = 10
5x 2y = 7
1) Solve one of the equations for one of the variables:
Solving the top equation for y yields y = 10 2x.
2) Substitute the result from Step 1 into the other equation:
Substituting y = 10 2x into the bottom equation yields 5x 2(10 2x) = 7.
3) Solve the resulting equation:
5x 2(10 2x) = 7
5x 20 + 4x = 7
9x 20 = 7
 9x = 27
x=3
4) Substitute the result from Step 3 into the equation derived in Step 1:
Substituting x = 3 into y = 10 2x yields y = 10 2(3) = 10 6 = 4.
Hence, the solution of the system of equations is the ordered pair (3, 4)
Example:
Consider x Find x and y?
A) x=2,y=2
B) x=1,y=2
C) x=2,y=1
D) x=1,y=1
Solution:
x + 2y = 4 (1)
x+y=3 (2)
Subtracting these equations yields an equation in y, i.e., (1)-(2) gives
x + 2y − (x + y) = 4 – 3
y=1
Reinserting this result into (2) gives x + 1 = 3, so we obtain x = 2.
Check the results by substituting them into (1)!
Example:

If a + 3a is 4 less than b + 3b, then a - b =

(A) -4
(B) -1

(C)

(D)

(E) 2

Solution:

Translating the sentence into an equation gives a + 3a = b + 3b - 4

Combining like terms gives 4a = 4b - 4
Subtracting 4b from both sides gives 4a - 4b = -4
Finally, dividing by 4 gives a - b = -1
Hence, the answer is (B).

Example:
Solve the following equation for x: 2x + y = 5
A)

B)

C)

D)

Solution:
The main operation is addition (remember addition now comes before multiplication,
SADMEP),
so subtracting y from both sides yields
2x + y - y = 5 - y
Simplifying yields 2x = 5 - y
The only operation remaining on the left side is multiplication. Undoing the multiplication
by dividing
both sides by 2 yields

Canceling the 2 on the left side yields

Practice Questions
1) Solve the following equation for x: 3x - 4 = 2(x - 5)
A) x = 6
B) x = -6
C) x = 5
D) x=-5
2) Solve simultaneous equation by substitution method 2x - 9y = 0 …(i) x - 18y = 27
… (ii)
A) (9,2)
B) (7,2)
C) (-9,-2)
D) (-7,2)
3) Solve simultaneous equation by substitution method 43x + 31y = 241 …(i)
31x + 43y = 277 …(ii)
A) (-2,4)
B) (2,5)
C) (-2,3)
D) (1,5)

4) Solve the following system by substitution.

2x – 3y = –2
4x + y = 24

A) (-4,3)

B) (5,2)

C) (5,4)

D) (3,5)

5) Use the substitution method to solve the system.

7x + 4y = 6
2x – y = -9

A) (2,5)

B) (-2,5)

C) (-2,-5)

D) (3,5)