Cramers Rule

v v Procedure for solving Ax = b where A is an n x n matrix

v Let Ai(b) be the matrix obtained by replacing column i of A by b .

vv v v Ai (b) = a1a2 K b .... an

column i
Theorem: Cramers Rule Let A be an invertible n x n matrix
v v v For any b R n the system Ax = b has the uni!ue solution

xj =

det Aj (b) det A

for

"#1 2 $ n

Proof%

&ote% I i ( x) = [ e1e2 L x L en ]

A I i ( x ) = A [ e1e2 L x Len ]

= [ Ae1 Ae2 L Ax L Aen ]

= [ a1a2 ....b....an ]

= Ai (b)

'herefore%

det ( A I i ( x ) ) = det Ai (b)

det A det I i ( x) = det Ai (b)

xi (o detA) xi # detAi(b) (olving for xi gives us%

xi =

det Ai (b) det A

example

(olve using *ramer+s ,ule

- x1 2 x2 = . / x1 + 0 x2 = 1

22 x= 23

example

*onsider

-sx1 2 x2 = 0

. x1 + sx2 = 1 For what values of s does this system have a uni!ue solution4 A#4 &ote% det A 52 if s 5 62 det A1(b) # 4 det A2(b) # 4 &ow find x1 and x2 det A # 4

x1 =

0s + 2 -( s + 2)( s 2) s +1 ( s + 2)( s 2)

x2 =

,ead -.- 7 (8ptional 7 proof of 'hm 9 for ,-) :x 1 - 3 9 19 21 22