Two-by-Two Linear Systems Problem Generator

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Drag the locators to move the lines. Each locator snaps to the nearest point with integer coordinates. The equations of the lines are displayed on the right as a two-by-two system of linear equations with integer coefficients. Provided that a unique solution exists, it will be displayed as well (the solution is the point of intersection of the two lines).

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It is not hard to position the lines in such a way that the solution will also be a point with integer coordinates. This Demonstration can be used to generate thousands of such examples. Mathematics instructors can use it as a simple tool for creating problems for beginning students.

You can also use it to challenge more advanced students; for example, among all systems that can be generated here whose solution has integer coordinates, can you find one whose solution is farthest from the origin?

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Contributed by: Bruce Torrence (March 2011)
Open content licensed under CC BY-NC-SA


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The three constants appearing in each equation will contain no common factor other than 1.



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