Homework Help: Math

Posted by SC on Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 7:05pm.

Find the point of intersection between y=2-(1/2)x and y=1+ax. (a=alpha sign). You answer will be a point in the xy plane whose coordinates involve the unknown a .

My work so far:
I set the two equations equal to each other because they intersect.
1+ax=2-(1/2)x
and I got,
(-1)/( (-1/2)-a )=x
how do I find y?
Do I plug in what i found for x into one of the equation? Please help!

Math - drwls, Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 7:30pm
y = 2 - x/2
y = 1 + ax

0 = 1 - x/2 - ax
x(a + 1/2) = x(2a+1)/2 = 1
x = 2/(2a+1)

y = 1 + 2a/(2a+1)

You started out OK, but should have simplified the equation for x and used it to derive an equation for y.
Math - SC, Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 7:37pm
thank you! =D

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