10TH EDITION

COLLEGE
ALGEBRA

LIAL
HORNSBY
SCHNEIDER

5.5 - 1
 Nonlinear Systems of Equations
5.5
Solving Nonlinear Systems with Real
Solutions
Solving Nonlinear Equations with Nonreal
Complex Solutions
Applying Nonlinear Systems

5.5 - 2
Solving Nonlinear Systems with Real
Solutions
A system of equations in which at least
one equation is not linear is called a
nonlinear system. The substitution
method works well for solving many
such systems, particularly when one
of the equations is linear, as in the
next example.

5.5 - 3
 SOLVING A NONLINEAR
Example 1
SYSTEMS BY SUBSTITUTION
Solve the system. x y 4
2
(1)

x  y  2 (2)
Solution
When one of the equations in a nonlinear
system is linear, it is usually best to begin by
solving the linear equation for one of the
variables.
y  2  x Solve equation (2) for y.

Substitute this result for y in equation (1).

5.5 - 4
 SOLVING A NONLINEAR
Example 1
SYSTEMS BY SUBSTITUTION

x2  y  4 (1)

x 2  ( 2  x )  4 Let y = –2 – x.

x 2 x  4
2
Distributive property

x2  x  2  0 Standard form

( x  2)( x  1)  0 Factor.

x  2  0 or x  1  0 Zero factor property

x  2 or x  1
5.5 - 5
 SOLVING A NONLINEAR
Example 1
SYSTEMS BY SUBSTITUTION

Substituting –2 for x in equation (2) gives y = 0.

If x = 1, then y = –3. The solution set of the
given system is {(–2, 0),(1, –3)}.

5.5 - 6
 Visualizing Graphs
Visualizing the types of graphs involved in a
nonlinear system helps predict the possible
numbers of ordered pairs of real numbers that
may be in the solution set of the system.

5.5 - 7
 Example 2 SOLVING A NONLINEAR SYSTEM
BY ELIMINATION
Solve the system. x2  y 2  4 (1)

2x  y  8
2 2
(2)
Solution
The graph of equation (1) is a circle and, as
we will learn in the next chapter, the graph
of equation (2) is a hyperbola. These graphs
may intersect in 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 points. We
add to eliminate y2.

5.5 - 8
 Example 2 SOLVING A NONLINEAR SYSTEM
BY ELIMINATION

x y 4
2 2
(1)
2x 2  y 2  8 (2)

3x 2
 12 Add.

Remember to
x 4
2
Divide by 3.

x  2
find both
square roots. Square root property

5.5 - 9
 Example 2 SOLVING A NONLINEAR SYSTEM
BY ELIMINATION

Find y by substituting back into equation (1).

If x = 2, then If x = − 2, then

22  y 2  4 ( 2)2  y 2  4
y2  0 y2  0

y  0. y  0.
The solutions are (2, 0) and (–2, 0) so the solution
set is {(2, 0), (–2, 0)}.
5.5 - 10
 Note The elimination method works
with the system in Example 2 since the
system can be thought of as a system of
linear equations where the variables are x2
and y2. In other words, the system is linear
in x2 and y2. To see this, substitute u for x2
and v for y2. The resulting system is linear
in u and v.

5.5 - 11
 SOLVING A NONLINEAR SYSTEM BY A
Example 3
COMBINATION OF METHODS

Solve the system. x 2

 3 xy  y 2
 22 (1)

x  xy  y  6
2 2
(2)
Solution
x 2  3 xy  y 2  22 (1)

 x  xy  y  6
2 2
Multiply (2) by –1

4 xy  16 Add. (3)
4
y Solve for y(x ≠ 0).
x

5.5 - 12
 SOLVING A NONLINEAR SYSTEM BY A
Example 3
COMBINATION OF METHODS
4
Now substitute for y in either equation (1)
x
or (2). We use equation (2).
2
4 4
x  x     6
2
Let y =
4
in (2).
x x x

16
x 4 2 6
2
Multiply and square.
x
Multiply x2 to clear
x  4 x  16  6 x
4 2 2
fractions.

5.5 - 13
 SOLVING A NONLINEAR SYSTEM BY A
Example 3
COMBINATION OF METHODS
This equation is
in quadratic form.

x  10 x  16  0
4 2
Subtract 6x2.

( x  2)( x  8)  0
2 2
Factor.

x  2 or x  8
2 2
Zero factor property.

x   2 or x   2 2 Square root
property;
For each equation,  8 4 2  2 2
include both square
roots.
5.5 - 14
 SOLVING A NONLINEAR SYSTEM BY A
Example 3
COMBINATION OF METHODS
Substitute these x-values into equation (4) to
find corresponding values of y.

If x  2 , then If x   2 , then

4 4
y  2 2. y  2 2.
2  2
If x  2 2 , then If x  2 2 , then
4 4
y  2. y   2.
2 2 2 2
5.5 - 15
 SOLVING A NONLINEAR SYSTEM BY A
Example 3
COMBINATION OF METHODS
The solution set of the system is
   
2,2 2 ,  2, 2 2 , 2 2, 2 , 2 2,  2 . 
If x  2 , then If x   2 , then

4 4
y  2 2. y  2 2.
2  2
If x  2 , then If x   2 , then
4 4
y  2. y   2.
2 2 2 2
5.5 - 16
 Example 4 SOLVING A NONLINEAR SYSTEM WITH
AN ABSOLUTE VALUE EQUATION

Solve the system. x 2  y 2  16 (1)

x y 4 (2)
Solution
Use the substitution method. Solving equation (2)
for x gives
x  4  y. (3)

Since x  0 for all x, 4 – y  0 and thus y  4.

In equation (1), the first term is x2, which is the
same as x2.

5.5 - 17
 Example 4 SOLVING A NONLINEAR SYSTEM WITH
AN ABSOLUTE VALUE EQUATION

Therefore,
(4  y )2  y 2  16 Substitute 4 – y in (1).

(16  8 y  y 2 )  y 2  16 Square the binomial.

Remember 2y 2  8 y  0 Combine terms.

the middle
term.
2y ( y  4)  0 Factor.

y 0 or y  4. Zero factor property.

5.5 - 18
 Example 4 SOLVING A NONLINEAR SYSTEM WITH
AN ABSOLUTE VALUE EQUATION
To solve for the corresponding values of x, use
either equation (1) or (2). We use equation (1).

If y = 0, then If y = 4, then

x  0  16
2 2
x  4  16
2 2

x  16
2
x 0
2

x  4. x  0.

5.5 - 19
Example 4 SOLVING A NONLINEAR SYSTEM WITH
AN ABSOLUTE VALUE EQUATION

The solution set, {(4,0), (–4, 0), (0, 4)}, includes

the points of intersection shown in the graph.

5.5 - 20
 SOLVING A NONLINEAR SYSTEM WITH
Example 5 NONREAL COMPLEX NUMBERS IN ITS
SOLUTIONS
Solve the system. x 2
 y 2
5 (1)

4 x  3 y  11
2 2
(2)
Solution
3 x  3 y  15
2 2
Multiply (1) by –3 .

4 x  3 y  11
2 2
(2)

x 2
 4 Add.

x   4 Square root property

x  2i 4  i 4  2i

5.5 - 21
 SOLVING A NONLINEAR SYSTEM WITH
Example 5 NONREAL COMPLEX NUMBERS IN ITS
SOLUTIONS
To find the corresponding values of y, substitute
into equation (1).
If x = 2i, then If x = –2i, then

(2i )  y  5
2 2
(2i )  y  5
2 2

i2 = –4
4  y2  5 4  y2  5

y 9
2
y 9
2

y  3. y  3.
5.5 - 22
 SOLVING A NONLINEAR SYSTEM WITH
Example 5 NONREAL COMPLEX NUMBERS IN ITS
SOLUTIONS
Checking the solutions in the given system
shows that the solution set is

 2i,3 ,  2i, 3 ,  2i,3 ,  2i, 3 .

Note that these solutions with nonreal complex

number components do not appear as
intersection points on the graph of the system.

5.5 - 23
 Example 6 USING A NONLINEAR SYSTEM TO
FIND THE DIMENSIONS OF A BOX
A box with an open top has a square base and four
sides of equal height. The volume of the box is 75 in.3
and the surface area is 85 in.2. What are the
dimensions of the box?
Solution
Step 1 Read the problem. We must find the
dimensions (width, length, and height) of
the box.
Step 2 Assign variables. Let x represent the
length and width of the square base, and
let y represent the height.
5.5 - 24
Example 6 USING A NONLINEAR SYSTEM TO
FIND THE DIMENSIONS OF A BOX
Step 3 Write a system of equations. Use the
formula for the volume of a box, V = LWH,
to write one equation using the given
volume, 75 in.3.

x y  75
2
Volume formula

5.5 - 25
 Example 6 USING A NONLINEAR SYSTEM TO
FIND THE DIMENSIONS OF A BOX
The surface consists of the base, whose area is
x2, and four sides, each having area xy. The total
surface area is 85 in.2, so a second equation
is

x  4 xy  85
2 Sum of areas of
base and sides

The system to solve is

x y  75
2 (1)

x  4 xy  85
2
(2)

5.5 - 26
Example 6 USING A NONLINEAR SYSTEM TO
FIND THE DIMENSIONS OF A BOX
Step 4 Solve the system. Solve equation (1) for y
75
to get y  2 , and substitute into equation
x
(2).
 75 
x  4 x  2   85
2 75
Let y  2 in (2).
x  x

300
x 
2
 85 Multiply.
x
x  300  85 x
3 Multiply by x, x ≠ 0.

x  85 x  300  0
3
Subtract 85x.

5.5 - 27
Example 6 USING A NONLINEAR SYSTEM TO
FIND THE DIMENSIONS OF A BOX
We are restricted to positive values for x, and
considering the nature of the problem, any solution
should be relatively small. By the rational zeros
theorem, factors of 300 are the only possible
rational solutions. Using synthetic division, we see
that 5 is a solution.
51 0  85 300
5 25  300
1 5  60 0

Coefficients of a quadratic polynomial factor

5.5 - 28
 Example 6 USING A NONLINEAR SYSTEM TO
FIND THE DIMENSIONS OF A BOX
75
Therefore, one value of x is 5 and y  2
 3. We
5
must now solve
x  5 x  60  0
2

for any other possible positive solutions.

Using the quadratic formula, the positive solution
is
5  5  4(1)( 60)
2 Quadratic formula
x  5.639 with a = 1, b = 5,
2(1) c = –60

This value of x leads to y ≈ 2.359.

5.5 - 29
Example 6 USING A NONLINEAR SYSTEM TO
FIND THE DIMENSIONS OF A BOX
Step 5 State the answer. There are two
possible answers.

First answer: length = width = 5 in.;

height = 3 in.
Second answer: length = width ≈ 5.639 in.’
height ≈ 2.359 in.

Step 6 Check. The check is left for Exercise 61.

5.5 - 30