- The ultimate study guide for simultaneous equations in your mathematics paper. Guided examples, sample questions for practice and tips!
If you haven’t read our detailed article about the tips for Mathematics paper, visit that page here first before diving into the specific topics! The article talks about specific tips to tackle specific papers of the Mathematics examinations. In addition to that, it also includes a downloadable summary cheat sheet for your revision!
Now, this article will serve as the ultimate guide to help you master the simultaneous equations for your mathematics examinations.
Methods for simultaneous equations
1 – Elimination method
Watch a youtube video to help you better understand the method better!
2 – Substitution method
Watch a youtube video on the method of substitution here!
Here’s Mr Eddie Woo, solving simultaneous equations for his students.
When do I use the elimination or substitution method in mathematics paper?
The answer to this question is – if the coefficient of any variable is 1, which means you can easily solve for it in terms of the other variable, then substitution is a very good bet.
If all the coefficients are anything other than 1, then you can use elimination, but only if the equations can be added together to make one of the variables disappear. You can make use of common multiples to get rid of one of the variables to solve for the other.
Additional practice for simultaneous equations
Remember to pace yourself because knowing how to manage your time is as crucial as getting these answers correct.
Additionally, you can also use this website to help you find the answers by keying in the equations.
Tips for doing simultaneous equations in mathematics paper
1 – label your equations when using the substitution method
2 – for the elimination method, it might be easier to know the common multiple of the two equations
3 – always be careful and pay extra attention to the operations, and make sure your pluses become minuses when you bring them over from one side of the equation to the other
In a nutshell, simultaneous equations in mathematics paper are easy to get a hang of when you keep practising. As you continue to practice more, you will build muscle memory around it and these methods will come to you naturally.
