Problem

A system of equations is given by \(y = kx\) and \(y = 3x + 5\) where \(k\) is a constant. Find the value of \(k\) if the system has a unique solution.

Answer

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Answer

Step 3: Solving this equation gives us that any real number except 3 could be the value of \(k\) for the system to have a unique solution.

Steps

Step 1 :Step 1: Since the two equations in the system represent straight lines, a unique solution means that the lines intersect at a single point. In other words, the slopes of the lines must be different. Therefore, the slope of the line represented by \(y = kx\) must be different from the slope of the line represented by \(y = 3x + 5\).

Step 2 :Step 2: The slope of the line represented by \(y = kx\) is \(k\), and the slope of the line represented by \(y = 3x + 5\) is 3. Therefore, we have the equation \(k \neq 3\).

Step 3 :Step 3: Solving this equation gives us that any real number except 3 could be the value of \(k\) for the system to have a unique solution.

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