For what values of b does the system have no solutions?

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Help me please with system.

It turned out this way: Multiply system 2

4x + by = 4

2bx + 2y = 4

The system has no solutions if:

4x + by ≠ 2bx + 2y

x (4 - 2b) ≠ y (2 - b)

2x (2 - b) ≠ y (2 - b)

For any b ≠ 2, the system will have only one solution.

And when b = 2 - infinite number of solutions:

4x + 2y = 4

2x + y = 2

Does it mean that for any b there will be such that the system has no solution?

It seems to me that when b = -2 will not solutions ....

The system

2

There are 2 best solutions below

2
On

Yes it is correct indeed the system is

  • $4x+by=4$
  • $bx+y=2$

and for $b=-2$

  • $4x-2y=4\implies 2x-y=2$
  • $-2x+y=2\implies 2x-y=-2$

We can solve the problem in a more sistematic way by the RREF on the augmented matrix, that is

$$\left[ {\begin{array}{rr|r} 4&b&4\\ b&1&2\\ \end{array} } \right]\to \left[ {\begin{array}{rr|r} 4b&b^2&4b\\ 4b&4&8\\ \end{array} } \right]\to \left[ {\begin{array}{rr|r} 4b&b^2&4b\\ 0&4-b^2&8-4b\\ \end{array} } \right]$$

and thus the system has no solution for

  • $4-b^2=0\implies b=\pm 2$
  • $8-4b\neq 0\implies b\neq2$

that is precisely $b=-2$.

1
On

You have the following system with $b\not = 0$: $$4x+by=4\Rightarrow y=-\frac{4}{b}x+\frac{4}{b}$$ $$2bx+2y=4\Rightarrow y=-bx+2 $$ These equations are the equations of two straight lines with slopes $λ_1=-\frac{4}{b}$ and $λ_2=-b$. These two straight lines have no solution when they do not intersect, meaning that they are parallel. Hence must:

$$λ_1=λ_2\Rightarrow -\frac{4}{b}=-b\Rightarrow b^2=4\Rightarrow b=-2 \ or \ b=2$$

When $b=2$ the two equations have infinite solutions, hence it's rejected. So $b=-2$.

If $b=0$ then $x=2 \ and \ y=2$.

So after all the only solution to the problem is $b=-2$