Systems of equations involving linear and quadratic terms

algebra-precalculussystems of equations

Can we solve for $y$ in this system using algebra?

$$\left\{
\begin{aligned}
x^2 – yz &= 3 \\
y^2 – xz &= 4 \\
z^2 – xy &= 5
\end{aligned}
\right.$$

I’ve tried to evaluate it using elimination and it just gives another equation with unknowns.

First I've tried to multiply the first equation by $y$, second by $z$ and third by $x$. I get $x^2 – y^2z = 3y, y^2z – xz^2 = 4z,$ and $z^2x – x^2y=5x$. Simplifying I get $5x + 4z + 3y = 0$. I've tried it again by multiplying the 1st and 3rd equation by $z, x$ and $y$ respectively. I get $5y + 4x + 3z = 0$. I don't know where to get my third equation.

Best Answer

Multiply each equation by $2$ and add all of them to get $$(x-y)^2+(y-z)^2+(z-x)^2=24.$$ Let $u=x-y, v=y-z, w=z-x$. Then you have \begin{align*} u+v+w&=0\\ u^2+v^2+w^2&=24 \end{align*} Now in your original system of equations, subtract equ 2 from equ 1, equ 3 from equ 2 and equ 1 from equ 3 to get \begin{align*} (x-y)(x+y+z) &=-1\\ (y-z)(x+y+z) &=-1\\ (z-x)(x+y+z) &=2 \end{align*} Clearly $x+y+z \neq 0$, so from here we can conclude that \begin{align*} x-y&=y-z \implies u=v\\ z-x&=-2(y-z) \implies w=-2v\\ \end{align*}

So now plug this in the $u,v,w$ equation s above to get $$(v)^2+(v)^2+(-2v)^2=24 \implies v =\pm 2.$$ Hopefully now you can solve the rest.

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