Linear system 2 unknowns

41 Views Asked by At

There are $x$ white and $y$ black pearls and their ratio is $z$. If I add six black and six white pearles, the ratio doubles.

I did the following:

$ \frac{x+6}{y+6} = \frac{2x}{y}$ and then I get $xy -6(2x-y)=0$

I can find solutions by guessing. Is there any other way?

ADDED:

Now I have to solve the problem for $ \frac{c(x+y)+6}{x+y+12} = 2c $ and once again I am lost in factoring out variables.

1

There are 1 best solutions below

0
On

$\frac{x}{y} = z$ and $\frac{x+6}{y+6} = 2z$

$\implies x = zy$ and $\frac{zy+6}{y+6} = 2z$

$\implies 6 = z(y+12) \implies z = \frac{6}{y+12}$

$\implies x = zy = \frac{6y}{y+12}$

Since $x$ and $y$ are the number of pearls, they must be integers. That is

$(y+12) | (6y)$.

There are only 3 possible $y$ values by giving $x=2, x=3, x=4$. Other $x$ values gives non-integer or non-positive $y$'s.

Thus, all possible $(x,y)$ pairs are $(2,6), (3,12), (4,24)$