[Math] 3xy + 14x + 17y + 71 = 0 need some advice

algebra-precalculus

$$3xy + 14x + 17y + 71 = 0$$

Need to find both $x$ and $y$. If there was only one variable then this is easy problem.
Have tried:

$$\begin{align}3xy &= -14x – 17y – 71 \\
x &= \frac{-14x – 17y – 71}{3y}\end{align}$$

Then tried to put this expression everywhere instead of $x$ but it tooks forever to find both $x$ and $y$.
I don't even know how to get on right track.
Please give any advice. Thanks.

Best Answer

There will be infinitely many pairs $(x,y)$ of real numbers that satisfy the equation. If you are looking for integer solutions, that is another matter.

I would rewrite the equation as $9xy+42x+51y+213=0$, and then as $$(3x+17)(3y+14)-(17)(14)+213=0,$$ which turns into the attractive $$(3x+17)(3y+14)=25.$$ Note that we did an analogue of completing the square. We get a hyperbola.

Now for integer solutions the analysis becomes quite simple. We take all ordered pairs $(s,t)$ of integers (both positive or both negative) such that $st=25$. There are only $6$ such pairs.

For some but not all of these pairs, it turns out that $x$ and $y$ are integers. Let's start. Look at $s=1, t=25$. No good, there is no integer $x$ such that $3x+17=1$. Look at $s=-1,t=-25$. That gives $3x+17=-1$, $3y+14=-25$, which has the integer solution $x=-6, y=-13$. Continue. There is not far to go!