Linear equation

An equation in which the maximum power on variable is one, is called a linear equation.
For e.g. 4x + 5 = 3x + 1, 2x + 3y = 45
Solution of a linear equation in one variable
Value of the variable which when substituted in equation, makes two sides of the
equation equal, is called the solution of the equation.

For e.g. for linear equation ax + b = 0, the solution is because if we substitute , for

x in ax + b = 0, the two sides of the equation become equal.

For e.g. Consider the equation 2x + 7 = 0.

Its solution i.e. the root of the equation is . This can be represented on the number

line as shown in the figure.

[ 51 ]
 The solution of a linear equation is not affected when :

🟋 The same number is added or subtracted from both the sides of the equation.

🟋 We multiply or divide both sides of equation by the same non-zero number.

🟋 In our earlier classes we have studied about linear equations in one variable, their

formation, solving methods In this chapter we will extend out knowledge about
equation by introducing 2 variables in the linear equation
Linear equation in two variables
An equation which can be expressed in the form ax + by + c = 0, where a, b and c are real
numbers such that a and b are not zero, is called a linear
equation in two variables x and y.
In the linear equation ax + by + c = 0, a is coefficient of x,
b is coefficient of y and c is constant. Here a, b, c are
called the coefficients of the linear equation.

Express the equation 7x = 3y in the form of ax + by + c = 0 and find the coefficients

of linear equation.
Explanation
7x = 3y can be written as 7x – 3y = 0
By comparing this equation with ax + by + c = 0

[ 52 ]
coefficient of x = a = 7
coefficient of y = b = – 3
constant term = c = 0

∴ a = 7, b = – 3, c = 0.

Write each of the following equations as equations in two variables (ax + by + c = 0) and
find the value of a, b and c.

(i) x = 8 (ii) y = –3 (iii) x – 3 = y (iv) 2 = 5x – 3y

In a one-day international cricket match between India and Australia played in

Kolkata, Dhoni and Yuvraj together scored 198 runs. Express this information in
the form of an equation.
Explanation
Let the runs scored by Dhoni be x and the runs scored by Yuvraj be y.
Dhoni and Yuvraj together scored 198 runs.
So, x + y = 198
⇒ x + y – 198 = 0 is the required equation.
Solution of linear equation in two variables
Solution of linear equation in two variables i.e. ax + by + c = 0 has a pair of values, one for
the unknown variable x and one for the second unknown variable y which satisfy the
given equation.

Let us consider the equation 2x + 3y = 6. When we substitute x = 1, y = in the given

equation, we find that 2 × 1 + × 3 = 2 + 4 = 6.

i.e. the equation is satisfied for the pair of values x = 1 and y = .

Therefore (1, ) is a solution of the linear equation.

[ 53 ]
 We can find some more solutions of this equation like , (0, 2), (3, 0), (4, ) and
so on i.e. infinitely many solutions. So a linear equation in two variables has infinitely
many solutions.

Which of the following equations have a unique solution or infinitely many

solutions.
(i) x + 1 = 6 (ii) y = 3x + 2
Explanation
(i) The given equation is x + 1 = 6
⇒ x=6–1

⇒ x=5

⇒ x + 0.y – 5 = 0, … (i)
Thus, x = 5 and any value of y is a solution.
Hence, equation (i) has infinitely many solution
(ii) The given equation is y = 3x + 2

∴ 3x + (–1) y + 2 = 0 … (ii)

which is a linear equation in two variable.

Hence, equation (ii) has infinitely many solutions

If (1, 3) is a solution of the equation 3x + 5y = b, then find the value of b.

Explanation
As (1, 3) is a solution of the given equation.

∴ x = 1, y = 3 satisfies the given equation.

Then, the equation 3x + 5y = b is reduced to

3×1+5×3=b

⇒ 3 + 15 = b

[ 54 ]
⇒ b = 18

(i) a = 1, b = 0, c = –8
(ii) a = 0, b = 1, c = 3

(iii) a = 1, b = – and c = –3

(iv) a = 5, b = – 3 and c = –2

Show that (x = 1, y = 1) as well as (x = 2, y = 5) is a solution of 4x – y – 3 = 0.

Solution
If we put x = 1 and y = 1 in the given equation,
we have L.H.S. = 4 × 1 – 1 – 3 = 0 = R.H.S.
so, x = 1, y = 1 is a solution of 4x – y – 3 = 0
If we put x = 2, y = 5 in the equation 4x – y – 3 = 0, we have
L.H.S. = 4 × 2 – 5 – 3 = 0 = R.H.S.
So, x = 2, y = 5 is a solution of the equation 4x – y – 3 = 0

Check which of the following are solutions of the equation x – 2y = 4 and which are not :

(i) (0, 2) (ii) (4, 0) (iii) ( ,4 )

Find two solutions of the equation : 4x + 3y = 12

Solution
The given equation is 4x + 3y = 12 ... (1)
Putting x = 0 in (1), we get

[ 55 ]
 4.0 + 3y = 12

⇒ 3y = 12

⇒ y=4

∴ x = 0 and y = 4

So, (0, 4) is a solution of the given equation (1).

Further, putting y = 0 in (1), we get
4x + 3.0 = 12

⇒ 4x = 12

⇒ x=3

∴ x = 3 and y = 0

So, (3, 0) is a solution of the given equation (1).

Hence, (0, 4) and (3, 0) are two solutions of the given
equation.

🟋 While converting a given equation to the standard form ax + by + c = 0 and finding values

of a, b & c, students can find different answers depending on the transposition they are
doing.
Eg. –2x + 3y = 6

⇒ –2x + 3y – 6 = 0

a = –2, b = 3, c = –6 (correct)

⇒ 2x – 3x + 6 = 0

a = 2, b = –3, c = 6 (correct)

🟋 Transposition rules should be very clear to us. Following are the common mistakes.

For e.g.
(i) 2x = 0
[ 56 ]
⇒ x = –2 (wrong)

⇒ x= =0 (correct)

(ii) –5x = 10

⇒ x= =2 (wrong)

⇒ x= = –2 (correct)

(iii) 2x + 3 = 4

⇒ x+3= (wrong)

⇒ 2x = 4 –3

⇒ 2x = 1

⇒ x= (correct)

Graph of a linear equation in two variables

In order to draw the graph of a linear equation ax + by + c = 0, a ≠ 0, b ≠ 0, we may follow

the following algorithm.

Step-I : Obtain the linear equation and let the equation be ax + by + c = 0.

Step-II : Express y in terms of x to obtain y =

or x in terms of y to obtain x =

Step-III : Put any two or three values of x and calculate the corresponding values of y
from the expression in step-II to obtain two solution say (a1, b1) and (a2, b2), if
possible take values of x as integers in such a manner that the
corresponding values of y are also integers.
[ 57 ]
 Step-IV : Plot points (a1, b1) and (a2, b2).
Step-V : Join the points marked in step IV to obtain a line.
The line obtained is the graph of the equation ax + by + c = 0.

Draw the graph of the equation 3x – 2y = 7.

Explanation

We have, 3x – 2y = 7 ⇒ x =

When y = 1, x =

When y = 4, x =

When y = 7, x =
Thus, we have the following table exhibiting the
abscissa and ordinates of the points on the line
represented by the given equation.
x 3 5 7
y 1 4 7
Plotting the points A(3, 1), B(5, 4) and C(7, 7) on the graph paper and Joining the points A,
B and C, we get a straight line.

[ 58 ]
🟋 Although only 2 points (solutions) are required to draw graph of a linear equation in
2 variables but it is advisable to find 3 solutions or points so that if there is any
mistake in finding the points or plotting then we will come to know about this while
plotting the points.

(i) (0, 2) is not a solution of the given equation.

(ii) (4, 0) is a solution of the given equation.

(iii) ( ,4 ) is not a solution of the given equation.

Equations of Lines Parallel to the x-axis and y-axis
x = a is an equation of line parallel to y-axis and y = b is an equation of line parallel to x –
axis.

Represent x – 5 = 0 on the Cartesian plane.

Solution
We solve x – 5 = 0
x=5
Here, the graph AB is line parallel to the y-axis and at a distance of 5 units to the right of
it.

[ 59 ]
 Equation of line parallel to x-axis and y-axis:

🟋 Equations which doesn’t have any term of x will represent a straight line parallel to

x-axis.
For e.g. y = 3, y = –5 etc.

🟋 Equation which doesn’t have any term of y will represent a straight line parallel to

y-axis.
For e.g. x = 1, x = –3 etc.

[ 60 ]
[ 61 ]
[ 62 ]