When deciding whether to use substitution or elimination to solve systems of linear equations, I usually think about a few important things:
Equation Form: If one equation is already set up to show a variable (like ), using substitution is really easy! You just replace in the other equation with the expression you have.
Simple Numbers: If the numbers in front of the variables (called coefficients) are easy to work with, elimination can be a fast way to go. For example, if you have the system and , elimination works well here.
What You Like Best: Sometimes it just comes down to which method you feel more comfortable with. Practicing both ways helps me figure out what works best!
In the end, it’s all about picking the method that makes the math simpler and clearer for you.
When deciding whether to use substitution or elimination to solve systems of linear equations, I usually think about a few important things:
Equation Form: If one equation is already set up to show a variable (like ), using substitution is really easy! You just replace in the other equation with the expression you have.
Simple Numbers: If the numbers in front of the variables (called coefficients) are easy to work with, elimination can be a fast way to go. For example, if you have the system and , elimination works well here.
What You Like Best: Sometimes it just comes down to which method you feel more comfortable with. Practicing both ways helps me figure out what works best!
In the end, it’s all about picking the method that makes the math simpler and clearer for you.