xy + x + y = 23 ⇔ y = (23 - x) / (x + 1) (1)
yz + y + z = 31 (2)
zx + z + x = 47 ⇒ z = ( 47 - x) / ( x + 1) ( 3)
Sub
(1) and (3) into (2)
(23 - x) / ( x + 1) * ( 47 - x) / (x + 1) + (23 - x)/(x + 1) + (47 - x) / ( x + 1) = 31
Multiply through by ( x + 1)^2
(23 - x) ( 47 - x) + (23 - x) ( x + 1) + (47 - x) (x + 1) = 31 (x + 1)^2
Simplifying this we get that
-32x^2 -64x + 1120 = 0
32x^2 + 64x - 1120 = 0 divide through by 32
x^2 + 2x - 35 = 0 factor
( x + 7) ( x - 5) = 0
Seting each factor to 0 and solving for x we get that
x = -7 y = -5 , z = -9
or
x = 5 y = 3 z = 7