Developed by Pardeep Rani
PGT Maths – JNV Chandigarh
CHAPTER - 4
LINEAR EQUATIONS IN TWO
VARIABLES
CONTENT
• Introduction of Linear Equations in Two
Variables ( with examples from our routine
life )
• Standard or general form of Linear Equation in
Two Variables
• Solutions of a Linear Equation in Two Variables
• Graph of a Linear Equation in Two Variables
• Equations of Lines x-axis,y-axis and lines
Parallel to the x-axis and the y-axis
PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED :
• Linear Equation in One Variable
• Unique Solution of a Linear Equation in one
variable
• Representation of unique solution on Number
Line
• Plotting of Points in the Cartesian Plane
INTRODUCTION
• All of you have studied about linear equations
in earlier classes.
• x + 1 = 0 , x -3 = 0 , y - √2 = 0 ,
√2 y + √3 = 0 are examples of linear equations in
one variable . These have unique solution and
all of you know how to represent solution of
linear equation on number line. Here, in this
chapter , we will extend your knowledge of
linear equation in one variable into linear
equation of two variables.
Situations from Routine Life
• Rama wants to buy one eraser and two
pencils. She has Rs. 6 to buy these items.
Convert it into linear equation into two
variables.
• Cost of these items is unknown . Let us
assume rs. x and rs. y be the cost of one eraser
and one pencil. So this situation can be
represented by linear equation in two
variables as x + 2y = 6
Situations from Routine Life
• In a one – day international Cricket Match
between India and Sri Lanka played in Nagpur,
two Indian batsman together scored 176
runs. Convert it into linear equation into two
variables.
• Score of neither of them is known . Let us use
x and y to denote them. This situation can be
represented by x + y = 176 in the form of
linear equation in two variables.
• We generally use x , y as unknown variables,
but other letters may also be used. Some
examples are : 1.2 s + 3 t = 5, p + 4q = 7,
a +b=5
• These equations can be put in the form
1.2 s + 3 t – 5 = 0 , p + 4 q – 7 = 0 , a+ b -5 = 0
respectively.
• So , any equation which can be put in the
form of a x + b y + c = 0 where a , b and c are
real numbers , both a and b are non-zero , is
called Standard or General form of a linear
equation in two variables.
Practice :
1. The cost of a notebook is twice the cost of a
pen. Write a linear equation in two variables
to represent this statement.
Sol. Let Cost of a notebook be rs. x and cost of a
pen be rs. y
so , x = 2y i.e. x – 2 y = 0
2. Express the following linear equations in the
form a x + b y + c = 0 and indicate the values
of a,b and c (i) x – y/5 = 10 ,(ii) -2x + 3y = 6 ,
(iii) y-2=0 , (iv) 3x + 2 = 0 , (v) 2x = -5y
Sol. (i) x- y/5 = 10 gives us 5x-y-50 = 0
So a= 5 , b= -1 , c= -50
(ii) -2x + 3 y = 6 gives us -2 x + 3 y – 6 = 0
so , a = -2 , b = 3 , c = -6
(iii) y-2 = 0 gives us 0x + 1 y -2 = 0
so , a = 0 , b = 1 , c = -2
(iv) 3 x + 2 = 0 gives us 3 x + 0 y + 2 = 0
so , a = 3 , b = 0 , c = 2
(v) 2x – 5y = 0 gives us 2x – 5y + 0 = 0
so , a = 2 , b = -5 , c = 0
Solutions of a Linear Equation
• Every linear equation in one variable has a
unique solution. Then what about the
solution/ solutions of a linear equation
involving two variables ? As there are two
variables in the equation , a solution means a
pair of values , one for x and one for y which
satisfies the given equation .
Key points for solving a linear
equation in two variables :
1. Same number added or subtracted from
both sides of an equation does not affect the
solution of the equation.
2.Solution of a linear equation is not affected ,
if you multiply or divide both sides of the
equation by the same non- zero number.
Solutions of a Linear Equation in Two Variables
• Let us consider the equation 2 x + 3 y = 12 . Here, x
= 3 , y = 2 is a solution because substituting x = 3 , y
= 2 in the equation , we get 2x + 3y =
(2*3)+(3*2)=12 .
• This solution is written as an ordered pair (3,2), first
value for x and second value for y.
• Similarly , (0,4) , (6,0) , (2,8/3) , (-5,22/3) are
another solutions of the above equation .
• There is no end to different solutions of a linear
equation in two variables i.e. a linear equation in
two variables have infinitely many solutions.
• Practice :
1. find four solutions of the equations:
(i)2x + y = 7 , (ii) x = 4y .
Sol. (i) (0,7) , (1,5) , (2,3) , (3,1)
(ii) (0,0) , (1,0.25) , (4,1) , (8,2)
2. Find the value of k , if (2,1) is a solution of
2x+3y=k.
Sol. 2*2 + 3*1 = k
which gives us k = 7
GRAPH OF A LINEAR EQUATION IN
TWO VARIABLES
• A linear equation in two variables is represented
geometrically by a line whose points make up the
collection of solutions of the equation. This is
called the GRAPH of the linear equation.
• So, to obtain the graph of a linear equation in two
variables , it is enough to plot two points
corresponding to the two solutions and join them
by a line. However Plotting of more points can
immediately check the correctness of the graph.
Examples :
1. Draw the graph of x + y = 7 .
Sol. To draw the graph , we
need atleast two solutions
of the equation. Find and
write those solutions in the
form of following table:
x 0 7
y 7 0
(x,y) (0,7) (7,0)
Examples :
2. The taxi fare in a city is as follows : for the
first kilometre, the fare is rs.8 and for the
subsequent distance it is rs.5 . Taking the
distance covered as x km and total fare rs.y ,
write a linear equation and draw its graph.
Sol. A.T.Q. y = 8 + 5(x-1)
Which gives 5x – y + 3 = 0
Now, to draw its graph , we find two solutions
and write them in the form of a table as
follows :
5 x – y + 3 = 0 or y = 5x + 3
x -1 0 1
y -2 3 8
(x,y) (-1,-2) (0,3) (1,8)
Equations of Lines Parallel to the
x-axis and y-axis
Well students , all of you know that the points
(2,0) , (-3,0 ) , (4,0) , (n,0) ,for any real number
n , lie in the Cartesian plane ,even they all lie
on x-axis. Because on the x-axis , the y-
coordinate of each point is zero. In fact , every
point on the x-axis is of the form (x,0). SO, the
equation of x-axis is y = 0 which can be
expressed as 0.x + 1.y = 0
Similarly , equation of y- axis is given by x = 0
Example :
• Consider the equation , x – 2 = 0 , which is
treated an equation in one variable , then x =
2 is the unique solution , representing a point
on the number line. However , if we write it in
the form of linear equation in two variables, it
can be expressed as x + 0.y -2 = 0
and it has infinitely many solutions of the
form (2,r) , where r is any real number. So , as
an equation in two variables x – 2 = 0 is
represented by the line AB in the graph.
• From the graph , we can
conclude that it is an
equation of line parallel
to y- axis.
• Hence, equation of line
parallel to y-axis is of the
form x = k , where k is any
real number (constant)
and equation of line
parallel to x-axis is of the
form y = a , where a is
any real number
(constant).
Example :
• Solve the equation 2x + 1 = x – 3 and represent the
solution(s) on
(i) number line (ii) the cartesian plane .
Sol. 2 x + 1 = x – 3 gives us 2x – x = -3 – 1
i.e. x = - 4
x = -4
INDEPENDENT PRACTICE :
• Give the geometric representations of
2 x + 9 = 0 as an equation
• (i) in one variable
• (ii) in two varaibles.
THANKS
