Quote Originally Posted by Barbara View Post
Take the first equation and multiply it by 5:
5*(8x + 2y -z)= 5*(-25)
40x + 10y-5z=-125
Then add it to equation #2
40x +3x +10y-3y-5z+5z= -125+10
43 x +7y= -115

Then take the first equation and multiply it by -2
-2*(8x +2y -z)= -2*(-25)
-16x -4y +2z =50

Add it to equation #3
-16x -5x -4y +6y +2z -2z=17+50
-21x +2y= 67

Now you have two equations left with only x and y:
43x + 7y =-115
-21 x +2y=67

From the second equation you get
2y=21x+67

y= (21x +67)/2 ((We call this equation A as I'll need it in a second))

Put this in the first equation

43x + 7/2(21x+67)=-115

43x +7*21x/2 +7*67/2=-115


I hope you are better in calculating these numbers than I am because while I can do the math I make plenty of faults when calculating numbers. When in school I always got results like that - e.g. I can see that 7*21/2 will by no means be a nice number like 4 or even 15. So I hope I get the numbers right

43x + 73,5x +234,5 =-115
116,5 x =-349,5
x=-349,5/116,5
x=-3

Now we go back to equation A:
y=(21x +67)/2
y=(21*(-3)+67)/2
y=(-63+67)/2
y=4/2
y=2


Now we could go back to any of the first equations but I suppose #1 will be easiest.
8x + 2y - Z = -25
You bring the z to one side:
z=8x+2y+25
z=8*(-3)+2*2+25
z=-24+4+25
z=5

I suppose it is right as all the results are nice and clean

That was fun. Math for me is also 30 years ago but it was my favorite
Ahhhh, yeah....what she said!!! Barbara, you never cease to amaze me. I really don't have a clue what you are talking about, but it sure sounds good!