flummoxed (again!)

[JeffM]

When you say"simultaneous linear equations" do you mean what is called "systems of equations"? If so, yes, I am familiar with that procedure but did not recognize it here....but I guess that is exactly what is going on here, no?

When you say"simultaneous linear equations" do you mean what is called "systems of equations"? If so, yes, I am familiar with that procedure but did not recognize it here....but I guess that is exactly what is going on here, no?

Yes, a system of linear equations.

One of the things that you are supposed to learn is when to use the various tools of algebra that you have been taught. What you initially thought was a problem about a quadratic was solved by a system of linear equations.