Definition

Inconsistent System of Equations

An inconsistent system of equations is a system of equations that has no solution. When both equations are graphed, the lines are parallel — they share the same slope but have different y-intercepts, so they never intersect. Because no single ordered pair (x,y)(x, y) lies on both lines at once, there are no values that satisfy all equations in the system simultaneously. For example, the system {y=12x3y=12x2\left\{\begin{array}{l} y = \frac{1}{2}x - 3 \\ y = \frac{1}{2}x - 2 \end{array}\right. is inconsistent: both lines have slope 12\frac{1}{2} but different y-intercepts (3-3 and 2-2), making it impossible for any single ordered pair to satisfy both equations.

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Updated 2026-04-29

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