<span>In Babylonia, tunnels were used extensively for irrigation; and a brick-lined pedestrian passage some 3,000 feet (900 meters) long was built about 2180 to 2160 BC under the Euphrates River to connect the royal palace with the temple. Hopefully this answer helps
</span>
Linear combination method just means to add the equations so that one variable with cancel. In this case the a values are already set up so that they will cancel.
2a + 3b = 1
-2a + b = 11
4b = 12
b = 3
now put 3 back into either of the original equations and solve for a.
2a + 3(3) = 1
2a + 9 = 1
2a = -8
a = -4
(-4,3)
Five raised to the fifth power 5^5 5*5*5*5*5 = 3,125