A student is trying to solve the system of two equations given below:

Equation P: a + b = 6

Equation Q: 4a + 2b = 19

Which of the following steps can be used to eliminate the a term?

-1 (4a+2b=19)

-4 (4a+2b=19)

-4 (a+b=6)

4 (a+b=6)

I wonder why my answer was deleted. it was correct.

so if we wanted to cancel the terms, we would try to get the smaller term to be a negative form of the bigger one

we have the terms

a and b and

4a and 2b

to cancel the b's we would have to multiply b by - 2

to cancel the a's we would have to multiply the a's by - 4

to keep the truth of the sentence, we have to do that to the whole equation

so we see that there is no multiplying by - 2 but there is multiplying by - 4 so that is the answer

the one that is : - 4 (a+b=6) is the answer