# Math Help - Simultaneous equation help:

1. ## Simultaneous equation help:

4x^2 + y^2 = 25 and xy = 6.

I made y = 6/ x and got the equation :

4x^2 +( 6 / x )^2 = 25.

I thought i could then make it 4x ^ 2 + 36 / x^2 = 25.

Is that correct so far or completely wrong?

2. ## Re: Simultaneous equation help:

Originally Posted by Mathematix
4x^2 + y^2 = 25 and xy = 6.

I made y = 6/ x and got the equation :

4x^2 +( 6 / x )^2 = 25.

I thought i could then make it 4x ^ 2 + 36 / x^2 = 25.

Is that correct so far or completely wrong?
$(2x+y)^2-4xy=25$

$(2x+y)^2-24=25$ ...etc.

3. ## Re: Simultaneous equation help:

Originally Posted by Mathematix
4x^2 + y^2 = 25 and xy = 6.

I made y = 6/ x and got the equation :

4x^2 +( 6 / x )^2 = 25.

I thought i could then make it 4x ^ 2 + 36 / x^2 = 25.

Is that correct so far or completely wrong?
That's correct thus far. As long as $x \neq 0$ you can multiply through by $x^2$

$4x^4 + 36 = 25x^2 \Leftrightarrow 4x^4-25x^2+36 = 0 \Leftrightarrow (x^2-4)(4x^2-9) = 0$

Both of those factors can be further factored using the difference of two squares to give x values.

Don't forget to check for extraneous solutions at the end if you use this method

4. ## Re: Simultaneous equation help:

^ I got to that point earlier but didn't continue to calculate it, because I thought it was wrong. I understand now, got the correct values for x and y. Thanks!