what should be the first step in adding these equations to eliminate y?

3x+4y=8
+6x-2y=9

To eliminate y, we can manipulate the second equation by multiplying both sides by 2.

First equation: 3x + 4y = 8
Second equation (multiplied by 2): 12x - 4y = 18

Now, we can add these two equations together to eliminate y.

3x + 4y + 12x - 4y = 8 + 18

Simplifying the equation further, we get:

15x = 26

Therefore, the first step in adding these equations to eliminate y is to multiply the second equation by 2.