Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) Terms Practice Test

Solving two or more equations at the same time to find values that satisfy every equation. The goal is a common solution that makes all equations true together. For example, x + y = 3 and x − y = 1 can be solved to get x = 2 and y = 1, and that pair satisfies both equations. Depending on the situation, there can be a single solution, no solution (the lines never meet), or infinitely many solutions (the equations describe the same line). Solving each equation separately wouldn’t give a shared solution, which is why this idea is about finding values that work for all equations at once.