Step by step
The question
Question: solve x + 3y + z = 3, x − y + z = −1 and x − y − z = 3.
We call them ①, ② and ③.
We want the x, y and z that make all three true.
The plan: remove one letter twice.
Then we have two equations with two letters, and we know how to solve those.
1 Remove z from ① and ③
Look at z in ① and ③: z and −z.
They are opposites, so adding removes z.
We write ① and ③ under each other: x under x, y under y, z under z.
z and −z make zero.
Cross them out.
We add: the x parts, the y parts, and the numbers.
x + x = 2x.
3y − y = 2y.
3 + 3 = 6.
Careful!
We add every part of both equations: each letter, and the numbers on the right too.
Now we have 2x + 2y = 6.
We call it ④.
It has no z.
2 Remove z from ② and ③
Look at z in ② and ③: z and −z.
They are opposites, so adding removes z.
We write ② and ③ under each other: x under x, y under y, z under z.
z and −z make zero.
Cross them out.
We add: the x parts, the y parts, and the numbers.
x + x = 2x.
−y − y = −2y.
−1 + 3 = 2.
Now we have 2x − 2y = 2.
We call it ⑤.
It has no z.
Now ④ and ⑤ are two equations with two letters: x and y.
We solve them like before, by elimination.
We write ④ and ⑤ again, in columns.
3 Add the equations
Look at y: 2y and −2y.
They are opposites.
Added, they make zero.
2y and −2y make zero.
Cross them out.
We add ④ and ⑤: the x parts together, and the numbers together.
2x + 2x = 4x.
6 + 2 = 8.
Now we have 4x = 8.
4 Find x
4x means 4 times x.
We want just x.
To remove times 4, we divide by 4.
We do it on both sides, so they stay equal.
4 divided by 4 is 1.
So just x is left.
8 divided by 4 is 2.
So x = 2.
5 Find y
We put x = 2 into ④.
2 times 2 is 4.
Now we have 4 + 2y = 6.
We want y by itself.
The 4 is in the way.
To remove 4, we take away 4.
We do it on both sides, so they stay equal.
4 and − 4 make zero.
Cross them out.
6 minus 4 is 2.
Now we have 2y = 2.
2y means 2 times y.
We want just y.
To remove times 2, we divide by 2.
We do it on both sides, so they stay equal.
2 divided by 2 is 1.
So just y is left.
On the right too: 2 divided by 2 is 1.
So y = 1.
6 Find z
We put x = 2 and y = 1 into ②, the easiest one.
2 − 1 is 1.
We want z by itself.
The 1 is in the way.
To remove 1, we take away 1.
We do it on both sides, so they stay equal.
1 and − 1 make zero.
Cross them out.
−1 minus 1 is −2.
So z = −2.
So x = 2, y = 1 and z = −2, all at the same time.
We write it as (2, 1, −2).
7 Check
Let's check in every equation.
We put x = 2, y = 1, z = −2 into ①.
We get 3, the same as the right side.
Now ②.
We get −1, the same as the right side.
Now ③.
We get 3, the same as the right side.
All of them work.
So the answer is right!
Let's look back.
First: remove z from ① and ③.
Then: remove z from ② and ③.
Then: add the equations.
Then: find x.
Then: find y.
Then: find z.
Last: check.