How do you solve the system of equations 3x + 2y = 6 and 6x + 4y = 12?

To solve the system of equations 3x + 2y = 6 and 6x + 4y = 12, we can use the method of substitution or elimination. However, we will start by examining the second equation.

The second equation 6x + 4y = 12 is actually a multiple of the first. If we divide the entire equation by 2, we get:

3x + 2y = 6

This means both equations represent the same line, which indicates that the system has infinitely many solutions. Every point (x, y) that lies on the line represented by 3x + 2y = 6 is a solution.

To find a specific solution, we can solve for y in terms of x using the first equation:

From 3x + 2y = 6, we isolate y:

2y = 6 – 3x

y = 3 – (3/2)x

This equation represents all the y-values corresponding to any x-value. For instance, if we let x = 0, we find:

y = 3 – (3/2)(0) = 3

So, one solution is (0, 3). Similarly, if we let x = 2, we get:

y = 3 – (3/2)(2) = 3 – 3 = 0

Thus, another solution is (2, 0). These examples illustrate that there are infinitely many solutions to the equations, all lying on the line defined by the first equation.

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