Question

question 5 of 10
which is most likely to be the first step in solving a system of nonlinear equations by substitution?

a. substituting one equation into the other equation

b. substituting a number for one of the variables

c. taking the square root of both sides of one of the equations

d. isolating a variable in one of the equations

Explanation:

To solve a system of nonlinear equations by substitution, the first step is to isolate a variable in one of the equations. This is because substitution requires expressing one variable in terms of the other (or others) from one equation so that it can be substituted into the other equation. Option A is a later step (after isolating a variable), option B is not the first step (we substitute expressions, not numbers initially), and option C is not a general first step for all nonlinear systems. So the correct first step is isolating a variable.

Answer:

D. Isolating a variable in one of the equations