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How To: Given A System of Equations Containing A Line and A Parabola, Find The

The document discusses solving systems of nonlinear equations using substitution. It provides examples of solving systems involving a parabola and line, and a circle and line. There are three possible types of solutions: no solution, one solution where the shapes are tangent, and two solutions where they intersect at two points. The method is to substitute the expression from one equation into the other equation to solve for the remaining variable.

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61 views

How To: Given A System of Equations Containing A Line and A Parabola, Find The

The document discusses solving systems of nonlinear equations using substitution. It provides examples of solving systems involving a parabola and line, and a circle and line. There are three possible types of solutions: no solution, one solution where the shapes are tangent, and two solutions where they intersect at two points. The method is to substitute the expression from one equation into the other equation to solve for the remaining variable.

Uploaded by

Anonymous QmnYZ5IXJI
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Solving a System of Nonlinear Equations Using Substitution

A system of nonlinear equations is a system of two or more equations in two or more variables containing at least one equation that is not linear. Recall that a
linear equation can take the form \displaystyle Ax+By+C=0Ax+By+C=0. Any equation that cannot be written in this form in nonlinear. The substitution method we
used for linear systems is the same method we will use for nonlinear systems. We solve one equation for one variable and then substitute the result into the second
equation to solve for another variable, and so on. There is, however, a variation in the possible outcomes.

Intersection of a Parabola and a Line

There are three possible types of solutions for a system of nonlinear equations involving a parabola and a line.

A GENERAL NOTE: POSSIBLE TYPES OF SOLUTIONS FOR POINTS OF INTERSECTION OF A PARABOLA AND A LINE

Figure 2 illustrates possible solution sets for a system of equations involving a parabola and a line.

 No solution. The line will never intersect the parabola.

 One solution. The line is tangent to the parabola and intersects the parabola at exactly one point.

 Two solutions. The line crosses on the inside of the parabola and intersects the parabola at two points.

HOW TO: GIVEN A SYSTEM OF EQUATIONS CONTAINING A LINE AND A PARABOLA, FIND THE SOLUTION.

1. Solve the linear equation for one of the variables.

2. Substitute the expression obtained in step one into the parabola equation.

3. Solve for the remaining variable.

4. Check your solutions in both equations.

EXAMPLE 1: SOLVING A SYSTEM OF NONLINEAR EQUATIONS REPRESENTING A PARABOLA AND A LINE

Solve the system of equations.

x−y=−1y=x2+1x−y=−1y=x2+1

SOLUTION

Solve the first equation for \displaystyle xx and then substitute the resulting expression into the second equation.

x−y=−1 x=y−1Solve for x. y=x2+1 y=(y−1)2+1Substitute expression for x.x−y=−1 x=y−1Solve for x. y=x2+1 y=(y−1)2+1Substitute expression for x.

Expand the equation and set it equal to zero.

y=(y−1)2 =(y2−2y+1)+1 =y2−2y+20=y2−3y+2 =(y−2)(y−1)y=(y−1)2 =(y2−2y+1)+1 =y2−2y+20=y2−3y+2 =(y−2)(y−1)

Solving for \displaystyle yy gives \displaystyle y=2y=2 and \displaystyle y=1y=1. Next, substitute each
value for \displaystyle yy into the first equation to solve for \displaystyle xx. Always substitute the value
into the linear equation to check for extraneous solutions.

x−y=−1x−(2)=−1 x=1x−(1)=−1 x=0 x−y=−1x−(2)=−1 x=1x−(1)=−1 x=0


The solutions are \displaystyle \left(1,2\right)(1,2) and \displaystyle \left(0,1\right),\text{}(0,1), which can be
verified by substituting these \displaystyle \left(x,y\right)(x,y) values into both of the original equations.

Q&A

COULD WE HAVE SUBSTITUTED VALUES FOR \DISPLAYSTYLE YY INTO THE SECOND EQUATION TO SOLVE FOR \DISPLAYSTYLE
XX IN EXAMPLE 1?

Yes, but because \displaystyle xx is squared in the second equation this could give us extraneous solutions for \displaystyle xx.

For \displaystyle y=1y=1

y=x2+1y=x2+1x2=0x=±√0=0y=x2+1y=x2+1x2=0x=±0=0

This gives us the same value as in the solution.

For \displaystyle y=2y=2

y=x2+12=x2+1x2=1x=±√1=±1y=x2+12=x2+1x2=1x=±1=±1

Notice that \displaystyle -1−1 is an extraneous solution.

TRY IT 1

Solve the given system of equations by substitution.

3x−y=−22x2−y=03x−y=−22x2−y=0

Solution

Intersection of a Circle and a Line

Just as with a parabola and a line, there are three possible outcomes when solving a system of equations representing a circle
and a line.

A GENERAL NOTE: POSSIBLE TYPES OF SOLUTIONS FOR THE POINTS OF INTERSECTION OF A CIRCLE AND A LINE

Figure 4 illustrates possible solution sets for a system of equations involving a circle and a line.

 No solution. The line does not intersect the circle.

 One solution. The line is tangent to the circle and


intersects the circle at exactly one point.

 Two solutions. The line crosses the circle and


intersects it at two points.
Figure 4

HOW TO: GIVEN A SYSTEM OF EQUATIONS CONTAINING A LINE AND A CIRCLE, FIND THE SOLUTION.

1. Solve the linear equation for one of the variables.

2. Substitute the expression obtained in step one into the equation for the circle.

3. Solve for the remaining variable.

4. Check your solutions in both equations.

EXAMPLE 2: FINDING THE INTERSECTION OF A CIRCLE AND A LINE BY SUBSTITUTION

Find the intersection of the given circle and the given line by substitution.

x2+y2=5y=3x−5x2+y2=5y=3x−5

SOLUTION

One of the equations has already been solved for \displaystyle yy. We will substitute \displaystyle y=3x -
5y=3x−5 into the equation for the circle.

\displaystyle \begin{array}{c}{x}^{2}+{\left(3x - 5\right)}^{2}=5\\ {x}^{2}+9{x}^{2}-30x+25=5\\ 10{x}^{2}-


30x+20=0\end{array}x2+(3x−5)2=5x2+9x2−30x+25=510x2−30x+20=0

Now, we factor and solve for \displaystyle xx.

10(x2−3x+2)=010(x−2)(x−1)=0x=2x=110(x2−3x+2)=010(x−2)(x−1)=0x=2x=1

Substitute the two x-values into the original linear equation to solve for \displaystyle yy.

y=3(2)−5=1y=3(1)−5=−2y=3(2)−5=1y=3(1)−5=−2

The line intersects the circle at \displaystyle \left(2,1\right)(2,1) and \displaystyle \left(1,-2\right)(1,−2),
which can be verified by substituting these \displaystyle \left(x,y\right)(x,y) values into both of the
original equations.

Figure 5

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