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More clarification.

Multiplying each side of the second equation by $\lambda$, we get:

$$\lambda (x' - ct') = \lambda × 0 =0 \space ,$$

Using this equation along with the first one, we easily get:

$$\lambda (x' - ct') = x - ct \space .$$

This seems to be saying $0 = \lambda × 0$ mathematically, which makes no sense.

Dandy! Why do you think it does not make sense?!

Second method:

The first and second equations imply:

$$x=ct, \space x'=ct'\rightarrow -x=-ct, \space \lambda x'=\lambda ct' \space.$$

Adding left sides and adding right sides gives:

$$\lambda x'-x=\lambda ct'-ct \rightarrow \lambda x'-\lambda ct'=x-ct \rightarrow$$

$$\lambda (x' - ct') = x - ct \space .$$