MATRICES

• Many times we have to encounter the situations

of solving system of linear equations in several
variables.
• For example.
• 2x + y+ 2z - 12u + v + 2w =1
• x + 2y – z + 6u + 2v – w =2
• 5x + 4y + 3z + 45u + 4v+ 3w = 4
• 3x + 20y - 2z - 6u + 8v - 4 w = 2
• 20x + y - 2z - 2u + v + 2w =7
• 2x - 3y + 20z + 5u + 4v - 5w = 19
 QUESTIONS :
• 1) Whether the solution exists or not ?
• 2) Whether there exist(s) ,
• (a) Only one solution (UNIQUE)?
• (b) More than one solutions or Infinite
solutions?
• (c) No solution? and
• (d) Can we have a simple method to obtain
the solution (s) ?
• Cramer’s Rule and Matrix Inversion could not
answer all the questions (a) (b) (c) (d).
 Rank of a matrix
• Rank of a matrix helps the methods, which Answer (a)
(b) (c) (d) in a far better way than Cramer’s Rule and
Matrix Inversion.
• Sub-matrix of a matrix A: The matrix, obtained by
deleting some rows or columns or both of a matrix A.
• Let ⎡⎢ 1 2 −3 0 ⎤⎥ , then ⎡⎢ 1 2 −3 0 ⎤⎥, ⎡ 1 2 −3⎤
−2 1 2 3 ⎥ −2 1 2 3 ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
A= ⎢ ⎢ −2 1 2
⎢ 0 2 1 −3⎥ ⎢⎣ 0 2 1 −3⎥⎦ ⎢ ⎥
⎢ ⎥ ⎢0 2 1⎥
⎣ 1 2 −6 4 ⎦ ⎢ ⎥
⎣1 2 −6⎦
⎡1 2 0⎤
⎢ ⎥ are submatrices of A obtained by deleting
⎢ − 2 1 3 ⎥ third row, third column, second column
⎢⎣ 0 2 −3⎥⎦
and fourth row, respectively.
 Rank of a matrix
• Minors of order ‘r’ of a matrix A: The determinant of
any r×r (Square) sub-matrix of m ×n matrix A.

⎡1 2 −3 0⎤
⎢ −2 1 2 −3 1 2 3
1 2 3 ⎥⎥
• Let A=⎢ , then −2 1 2 , 2 1 −3
⎢0 2 1 −3⎥
⎢ ⎥ 0 2 1 2 −3 4
⎣1 2 −3 4 ⎦

are the minors of order 3

1 2 2 −3
and ; are the minors of order 2
−2 1 1 2
 Rank of a matrix
™Definition: Rank of a matrix A is “r” if,
• i) It has at least one non-zero minor of order
“r” and
• ii) All the minors of order higher than “r” are
zeroes.
• Notation: If Rank of a matrix A is r then it is
denoted as ρ(A) = r
• As a consequence of condition (ii), every minor
of order greater than r will be zero.
• In short, we say that the rank of a matrix is the
largest order of a non-zero minor of the matrix.
 Rank of a matrix
• If A is a null matrix then ρ(A) = 0.

• If A is not a null matrix then ρ(A) ≥ 1.

• If A is a m ×n matrix, then ρ(A) ≤ min (m, n).

• If A is a square matrix of order n, then ρ(A) = n iff |A| ≠ 0.

• ρ(A) = ρ(AT) .

• If A has a non-zero minor of order ‘r’ then ρ(A) ≥r.

• If all the minors of order ‘r+1’ of A are 0, then ρ(A) ≤r.

 Example(s)
• Find the rank of each of the following
⎡1 2 3⎤
¾(a) A = ⎢⎢ 4 5 3⎥⎥
⎢⎣ 2 4 1⎥⎦

⎡ 2 3 4⎤
¾(b) B = ⎢⎢ 3 1 2 ⎥⎥
⎢⎣ −1 2 2 ⎥⎦

⎡2 3 4 ⎤
¾(c) C = ⎢⎢ 4 6 8 ⎥⎥
⎢⎣ − 6 − 9 − 12 ⎥⎦
Solution:
⎡ 1 2 3⎤
⎢ ⎥
¾ (a) The rank of the matrix A = 4 5 3 is 3.
⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣ 2 4 1⎥⎦
1 2 3
•As | A| = 4 5 3 = 1 (5 − 12) − 2 (4 − 6) + 3 (16 − 10)
2 4 1
= − 7 + 4 + 18 = 15 ≠ 0

⎡ 2 3 4⎤
= ⎢ 3 1 2⎥
¾(b) Rank of B ⎢ ⎥ is 2.
⎢⎣ −1 2 2 ⎥⎦
 Solution:
• as | B | = 0 , and there is a non-zero minor of
order 2, namely, 2 3
=−7≠0
3 1
2 3 4
¾ (c) Finally for the rank of the matrix C = 4 6 8
− 6 − 9 − 12

• We see | C | = 0 , its rank ≠ 3.

• Also every minor of order 2 of C is also zero.
• Its rank ≠ 2
• As the matrix is a non-zero matrix, so its rank is 1.
 Elementary Transformations
• The following operations w.r.t. a matrix are known as
elementary transformations.
• Interchange of any two ROWS, indicated by Rij or by
Ri ↔ Rj
• Multiplication of elements of any ROW by a non-zero
real number, indicated by Ri →kRi
• Addition of the constant multiple of jth ROW to ith ROW
indicated by Ri → Ri + kRj
• Similar COLUMN transformation are denoted by

• Cij , kCi, Ci + kCj

 Example.
• Using elementary transformations reduce
the matrix A first to upper triangular
• and then to identity matrix where
⎡2 5 7⎤
A = ⎢1 2 3⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣ 3 1 2 ⎥⎦

⎡2 5 7⎤
Solution: ⎢ 1 2 3⎥ ⎥
⎢
⎢⎣ 3 1 2 ⎥⎦
 Solution: ⎡1 2 3⎤
• Operating R1 ↔ R2 A = ⎢2 5 7⎥ ⎥
⎢
⎢⎣ 3 1 2 ⎥⎦

• Operating R2 → R2-2R1, ⎡1 2 3⎤
⎢0 1 1 ⎥ ⎥
and R3 →R3-3R1 A~ ⎢
⎣⎢ 0 −5 − 7 ⎦⎥

⎡1 2 3⎤
⎢0 1 ⎥⎥
• Operating R3→ R3 +5R2 A~ ⎢ 1
⎢⎣ 0 0 − 2 ⎥⎦
(Upper Triangular Form)
Solution:
⎡1 0 0⎤
•Operating C2 → C2-2C1, ⎢ ⎥
A~ 0 1 1 ⎥
C3 → C3-3C1 ⎢
⎣⎢ 0 0 − 2 ⎦⎥
⎡1 0 0⎤
•Operating C3 → C3-C2 A~ ⎢ 0 1 0⎥ ⎥
⎢
⎢⎣ 0 0 − 2 ⎥⎦
⎡1 0 0⎤
•Operating C3 → C3 / (-2) A~ ⎢ 0 1 0⎥ ⎥
⎢
⎢⎣ 0 0 1 ⎥⎦
(Identity matrix)
 • Definition: Two matrices A and B are said to be
equivalent, if one can be obtained from another by a
sequence of elementary transformations and the same is
symbolically written as A~B.
• Example: Using elementary transformations find the
ranks of the following matrices
(1) ⎡2 3 −1 −1⎤ (2) ⎡ 1 2 3 ⎤ (3) ⎡ 1 2 1 0⎤
⎢1 −1 −2 −4⎥ ⎢ −2 4 ⎥
⎢2 4 7 ⎥ ⎢ 3 0 ⎥
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢3 1 3 −2⎥ ⎢⎣ 1 0 2 − 8 ⎥⎦
⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣ 3 6 10 ⎥⎦
⎣6 3 0 −7⎦
(5) ⎡ 9 1 9 2 9 3 9 4 9 5 ⎤
(4) ⎡ 1 4 3 − 2 1 ⎤ ⎢ ⎥
⎢−2 −3 −1 9 3 ⎥ ⎢92 93 94 95 96 ⎥
⎢ ⎥ ⎢93 94 95 96 97 ⎥
⎢ −1 6 7 12 9 ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢ ⎥ ⎣94 95 96 97 98 ⎦
⎣−3 3 6 21 12⎦
 ⎡2 3 −1 −1⎤
• SOLUTIONS ⎢1 −1 −2 −4⎥⎥
⎢
• (1) Let A = ⎢3 1 3 −2⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎣6 3 0 −7⎦
⎡1 −1 −2 −4⎤
⎢2 3 −1 −1⎥⎥
⎢
• Operating R12 ⎢3 1 3 −2⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎣6 3 0 −7⎦
⎡1 −1 −2 −4⎤
• Operating R2→ R2 -2R1, ⎢⎢0 5 3 7 ⎥⎥
R3 → R3-3R1, R4 → R4-6R1 ⎢0 4 9 10⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎣0 9 12 17⎦
⎡1 −1 −2 −4 ⎤
• Operating R2→ R2 -R3, ⎢0 1 −6 −3⎥⎥
⎢
⎢0 4 9 10 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎣0 9 12 17 ⎦
 ⎡1 −1 −2 −4 ⎤
• Operating R3 → R3-4R2 , ⎢0 1
⎢ −6 −3⎥⎥
R4→ R4-9R2 ⎢0 0 33 22 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎣0 0 66 44 ⎦

⎡1 −1 −2 −4 ⎤
• Operating , R4 → R4-2R3 A ~ ⎢0 1 −6 −3⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢0 0 33 22 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎣0 0 0 0 ⎦

• Observe that the matrix is in UPPER TRIANGULAR FORM

• The rank of the matrix = the number of non zero rows

• ρ(A) = 3
• (2) ⎡1 2 3⎤
B = ⎢⎢ 2 4 7 ⎥⎥
⎢⎣ 3 6 10 ⎥⎦

• Operating R2→R2 -2R1, ⎡1 2 3⎤

R3→R3-3R1 B ~⎢ 0 0 1⎥ ⎥
⎢
⎢⎣ 0 0 1 ⎥⎦

• Though the matrix is in Upper Triangular Form

• we observe that R2 and R3 are identical.

⎡1 2 3 ⎤
• Operating R3 →R3-R2 ⎢
B ~ ⎢0 0 1 ⎥ ⎥
⎢⎣ 0 0 0 ⎥⎦
•This form of the matrix where,
•(i) First non-zero entry (or element) in every non-zero
row is ‘UNITY’ or can be made unity.

•(ii) Elements in the column below these ‘above

mentioned’ UNITIES are zeroes Or the number of
zeroes before the non-zero element increases with row
number.

•(iii) All the zero rows are below the non-zero rows

• is known as ROW ECHELON FORM

•The rank of the matrix = the number of non zero rows

• ρ(B) = 2
•(3) Reduce to row -echelon
⎡ 1 2 1 0⎤
⎢ −2 3 0 ⎥⎥
form and find rank of C for, C = ⎢ 4
⎢⎣ 1 0 2 − 8 ⎥⎦

⎡1 2 1 0⎤
•Operating R2→ R2+2R1, ⎢
C~ 0 8 5 0 ⎥⎥
R3→ R3-R1
⎢
⎣⎢ 0 −2 1 − 8 ⎦⎥

⎡1 2 1 0⎤
• Operating R23 C ~ ⎢0 −2 ⎥
1 −8 ⎥
⎢
⎢⎣ 0 8 5 0 ⎥⎦
 ⎡1 2 1 0 ⎤
•Operating R3 →R3+4R2 C ~⎢
⎢0 −2 1 − 8 ⎥⎥
⎢⎣ 0 0 9 0 ⎥⎦

C2 ⎡1 −1 1 0 ⎤
•Operating C~ ⎢
(−2) ⎢0 1 1 − 8 ⎥⎥
⎢⎣ 0 0 9 0 ⎥⎦

⎡1 −1 1 0 ⎤
•Operating R3
9 C ~ ⎢⎢ 0 1 1 − 8 ⎥⎥
⎢⎣ 0 0 1 0 ⎥⎦
This is in Row- echelon form.
•The rank of the matrix = the number of non zero rows

• ∴ ρ(C) = 3
 ⎡ 1 4 3 −2 1 ⎤
•(4) ⎢−2 − 3 − 1 9 3 ⎥⎥
D =⎢
⎢−1 6 7 12 9 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎣−3 3 6 21 12⎦
⎡ 1 0 0 0 0 ⎤⎥
• Operating C2 → C2-4C1, ⎢
⎢−2 5 5 5 5⎥
C3 → C3-3C1 , C4→ C4+2C1, D~ ⎢
⎢ −1 10 10 10 10 ⎥
⎥

C5 → C5 - C1 ⎢
⎢⎣ − 3
⎥
15 15 15 15 ⎥⎦
⎡ 1 0 0 0⎤
0
• Operating C3→ C3 -C2, ⎢ −2 0 0 0 ⎥⎥
5
D ~⎢
C4→ C4 -C2, C5→ C5 -C2 ⎢ −1 10 0 0 0⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎣ −3 15 0 0 0⎦
Lower Triangular form
• The rank of the matrix = the number of non zero columns
∴ ρ(D) = 2
•(5) ⎡91 92 93 94 95 ⎤
Find the rank by reducing ⎢92 93 94 95 96 ⎥
the following matrix : E =⎢ ⎥
⎢93 94 95 96 97 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎣94 95 96 97 98 ⎦
⎡ 91 92 93 94 95 ⎤
•Operating R2→R2 -R1, ⎢1 1 1 1 1 ⎥
R3→R3 -R1 , E~ ⎢ ⎥
⎢2 2 2 2 2 ⎥
R4→R4 -R1 ⎢ ⎥
⎣3 3 3 3 3 ⎦
⎡1 1 1 1 1 ⎤
⎢ 91 92 93 94 95 ⎥
•Operating R12 E~ ⎢ ⎥
⎢2 2 2 2 2 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎣3 3 3 3 3 ⎦
•Operating R2 → R2 -91R1, ⎡1 1 1 1 1 ⎤
⎢0 1 2 3 4 ⎥⎥
R3 → R3 -2R1, E~ ⎢
⎢0 0 0 0 0 ⎥
R4 → R4 -3R1 ⎢ ⎥
⎣0 0 0 0 0 ⎦

This is in Row- echelon form.

•The rank of the matrix = the number of non zero rows

• ρ(E) = 2
•Operating R2 → R2 -91R1, ⎡1 1 1 1 1 ⎤
⎢0 1 2 3 4 ⎥⎥
R3 → R3 -2R1, E~ ⎢
⎢0 0 0 0 0 ⎥
R4 → R4 -3R1 ⎢ ⎥
⎣0 0 0 0 0 ⎦

•Operating C1→C1 –C2 , ⎡0 1 0 0 0⎤

⎢0 1 1 2 3 ⎥⎥
C3 →C3 -C2 , E~ ⎢
C4→ C4 - C2 ⎢0 0 0 0 0⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎣0 0 0 0 0⎦

• Operating C2→C2 – C3 , C4 →C4 -2C3 , C5→ C5 - 3C3 ,

we get E in normal form and number of 1’s available in
this normal form i.e. 2 (TWO) determines the rank of the
matrix.
 CONSISTENCY OF SYSTEM OF
SIMULTANEOUS LINEAR EQUATIONS
Consider the following set of Linear equations.

a11 x1 + a12 x 2 + a13 x 3 + . . . + a1n xn = b1

a 21 x1 + a 22 x 2 + a 23 x 3 + . . . + a 2n xn = b 2
.... .... .... .... ....
.... .... .... .... ....
.... .... .... .... ....
am1 x1 + am 2 x 2 + am 3 x 3 + . . . + amn xn = bm
From the knowledge of matrix multiplication,
this can be written in matrix form
⎡ a11 a12 a13 .... .... a1n ⎤ ⎡ x1 ⎤ ⎡ b 1 ⎤
⎢ ⎥ ⎢x ⎥ ⎢ b ⎥
⎢a 21 a 22 a 23 .... .... a 2n ⎥
⎢ 2⎥ ⎢ 2 ⎥
⎢ .... .... .... .... .... .... ⎥ ⎢ x3 ⎥ ⎢ b3 ⎥
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥=⎢ ⎥
⎢ .... .... .... .... .... .... ⎥ ⎢... ⎥ ⎢... ⎥
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ... ⎥ ⎢ ... ⎥
⎢ .... .... .... .... .... .... ⎥
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢am1 am 2 am 3 .... .... amn ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ xn ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣bm ⎥⎦
⎣
i.e., AX = D
where ⎡a a a .... .... a ⎤
11 12 13 1n
⎢ ⎥
⎢a 21 a 22 a 23 .... .... a 2n ⎥
⎢ .... .... .... .... .... .... ⎥
A=⎢ ⎥ ,
⎢ .... .... .... .... .... .... ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ .... .... .... .... .... .... ⎥
⎢an1 an 2 an 3 .... .... ann ⎥⎦
⎣
⎡ x1 ⎤ ⎡ b1 ⎤
⎢x ⎥ ⎢b ⎥
⎢ 2⎥ ⎢ 2⎥
⎢ x3 ⎥ ⎢b 2 ⎥
X = ⎢ ⎥ , and D = ⎢ ⎥
⎢... ⎥ ⎢... ⎥
⎢ ... ⎥ ⎢ ... ⎥
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣ xn ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣bn ⎥⎦
• Here A is called coefficient matrix, X is
called variable vector and D is called
Right hand side column vector.
• If D = 0 i.e. b1, b2,…, bm = 0 then the
matrix equation becomes A X = 0,
which is called a system of
HOMOGENEOUS linear equations.

• If D ≠ 0 then the system A X = D is

called a system of
NON-HOMOGENEOUS linear equations.
and
C = [ A | D]
⎡ a11 a12 . . . a1n b1 ⎤
⎢a a . . . a b ⎥
⎢ 21 22 2 n 2 ⎥
= ⎢ ....................... ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ ....................... ⎥
⎢am1 am 2 . . . am n bm ⎥
⎣ ⎦
is called the AUGMENTED MATRIX.
• To solve a non-homogeneous system
of linear equations:
• First, we calculate the rank of
Augmented Matrix C = [A | D].
¾If ρ[A | D] = ρ(A) = n (number of
variables) the system will be consistent
and will have UNIQUE solution.
¾If ρ[A | D] = ρ(A) < n (number of
variables) the system will be consistent
but will have infinite number of
solutions
¾If ρ[A | D] ≠ ρ(A) the system will have NO
solution i.e. the system will be
INCONSISTENT.
• After checking above three conditions if
the system is consistent
• then its solution is calculated by, again
converting the Upper triangular /
Echelon form of the Augmented Matrix D
(from which rank was found) into linear
equations and solving it.
Example 1 Test the consistency and solve

x-2y+3z= 8
2x-3y = -5 ( *)
x+ y+ z = 9
Solution:
To test the consistency, we calculate the
Augmented matrix of the system (*)

And then we find

i) the rank of matrix [A/D]
ii) the rank of matrix A
Here ⎡1 − 2 3⎤ ⎡ x⎤ ⎡8⎤
A = ⎢ 2 − 3 0⎥ X = ⎢ y⎥ D = ⎢− 5⎥
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣1 1 1⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ 9 ⎥⎦
⎣⎢ z ⎥⎦
Then (*) in matrix form is AX = D

⎡1 −2 3 8 ⎤
⎢2 −3 0 −5⎥
Consider [A/D]= ⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣ 1 1 1 9 ⎥⎦
(Augmented matrix)
Operating R2→ R2 -2R1, R3→ R3-R1
⎡1 −2 3 8 ⎤
[A/D] ~ ⎢0 1 −6 −21⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣0 3 −2 1 ⎥⎦
Operating R3 → R3-3R2 ⎡1 −2 3 8 ⎤
⎢0 1 −6 −21⎥
[A/D] ~ ⎢ ⎥ (**)
⎢⎣0 0 16 64 ⎥⎦
⇒ ( ρ(A) = 3 ) = (ρ(A/D) = 3)
⇒ System of equations (*) are consistent.
( ρ(A) = 3 ) = (ρ(A/D) = 3) = No. of unknowns
⇒ There exists a unique solution of (*)
(*) and (**) are equivalent system

x - 2y + 3z = 8 --------(i)
(**) ⇒ y - 6z = -21 --------(ii)
16z = 64 --------(iii)

(iii) z=4
z = 4 in (ii) y=3
y = 3 and z = 4 in (i) x=2

Answer x = 2, y = 3 and z = 4
Example 2
Test the consistency and solve
2x+y+2z=1
x+2y - z=2 ( *)
5x+4y+3z=4
To test the consistency, we calculate the Augmented matrix of the
system (*) And then we find
i) the rank of matrix [A/D]
ii) the rank of matrix A
Here
⎡2 1 2 ⎤ ⎡x⎤ ⎡1 ⎤
⎢1 2 −1⎥ ⎢y ⎥ ⎢2⎥
D=⎢ ⎥
A=⎢ ⎥ X=⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣ 5 4 3 ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ 4 ⎥⎦
⎢⎣ z ⎥⎦
Then (*) in matrix form is AX = D
 ⎡2 1 2 1⎤
⎢1 2 −1 2 ⎥ (Augmented
Consider [A/D]= ⎢ ⎥ matrix)
⎢⎣ 5 4 3 4 ⎥⎦
Operating R12 ⎡1 2 −1 2⎤
⎢2 1 2 1⎥
[A/D] ~ ⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣ 5 4 3 4 ⎥⎦
Operating R2→ R2 - 2R1, R3 → R3 - 5R1
⎡1 2 −1 2 ⎤
⎢
[A/D] ~ 0 −3 4 −3
⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣0 −6 8 −6 ⎥⎦
 Operating R3 → R3-2R2
⎡1 2 −1 2 ⎤
⎢0 −3 4 −3 ⎥
[A/D] ~ ⎢ ⎥ (**)
⎢⎣0 0 0 0 ⎥⎦

( ρ(A) = 2 ) = (ρ(A/D) = 2)
System of equations (*) is consistent
( ρ(A) = 2 ) = (ρ(A/D) = 2) < No.of unknowns=3

There exist infinite solutions of (*)

(*) and (**) are equivalent system
 x+ 2y - z = 2 --------(i)
(**)
-3y+ 4z = -3 --------(ii)
Let z = k be the parameters
4 5
y= 1+ k x=- k
3 3
4
Answer: x = - 5
k y= 1+ k z=k
3 3

For k = 3 x = -5 y = 5 z = 3
is one particular solution.
Example 3. Test the consistency and solve
x-4y+7z=14
3x+8y -2 z=13 (*)
7x-8y+26z=5
To test the consistency, we calculate the
Augmented matrix of the system (*)
And then we find
i) the rank of matrix [A/D]
ii) the rank of matrix A
⎡1 −4 7 14⎤
⎢3 8 −2 13 ⎥
Consider [A/D]= ⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣ 7 − 8 2 6 5 ⎥⎦
Operating R2→ R2 - 3R1, R3→ R3 - 7R1

⎡1 −4 7 14 ⎤
⎢
[A/D] ~ ⎢ 0 2 0 − 2 3 − 2 9 ⎥ ⎥
⎢⎣ 0 2 0 − 2 3 − 9 3 ⎥⎦
Operating R3 → R3-R2
⎡1 −4 7 14 ⎤
⎢0 20 −23 −29⎥ ⎥
[A/D] ~ ⎢
⎢⎣ 0 0 0 − 6 4 ⎥⎦
( ρ(A) = 2 ) ≠ (ρ(A/D) = 3)
There exists no solution of system of simultaneous
linear equations(*).
System of Homogeneous Linear
Equations
a11 x1 + a12 x 2 + . . . + a1n xn = 0
a 21 x1 + a 22 x 2 + . . . + a 2n xn = 0
...........................
............................
am1 x1 + am2 x 2 + . . . + amn xn = 0
 which can be written as
⎡ a11 a12 . . . a1n ⎤ ⎡ x1 ⎤ ⎡ 0 ⎤
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ x ⎥ ⎢0 ⎥
⎢ a 21 a 22 . . . a 2n ⎥ ⎢ 2⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .⎥ ⎢ . ⎥ = ⎢.⎥
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .⎥ .
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ .
⎢ a a . . . a ⎥ ⎢⎣ xn ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣0 ⎥⎦
⎣ m1 m2 mn ⎦
 or AX = O
For such a system the ρ [A] is always
equal to ρ [A / D].
Hence a system of Homogeneous linear
equations is always consistent.
There are following cases:
1. If
ρ [A] = n (number of var iables)
i.e | A | ≠ 0 then the system (1) will
have only Zero or Trivial or Unique
Solution.
2. If
ρ [A] < n (number of var iables)
i.e | A | = 0 then the system (1) will
have Non-Zero or Non-Trivial or
Infinite number of Solutions.
Example-1 Solve the system of
equations
x + 3 y − 2z = 0
2x − y + 4z = 0
x − 11y + 14z = 0
Solution: The given system of equation
can be written as
⎡ 1 3 −2 ⎤ ⎡ x ⎤ ⎡ 0 ⎤
⎢ 2 −1 4 ⎥ ⎢ y ⎥ = ⎢ 0 ⎥
⎢ ⎥⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣1 −11 14 ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ z ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ 0 ⎥⎦
i.e. AX = O , where the coefficient
matrix
⎡1 3 −2 ⎤
⎢
A = 2 −1 4 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣1 −11 14 ⎥⎦

Applying R 2 → R 2 − 2R 1 ,
R 3 → R 3 − R1
 ⎡1 3 −2 ⎤
⎢
A ≈ 0 −7 8 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣0 −14 16 ⎥⎦
Applying R 3 → R 3 − 2R 2

⎡ 1 3 −2 ⎤
⎢
A ≈ 0 −7 8 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣ 0 0 0 ⎥⎦
which is in Echelon form and hence
ρ [A] = 2 < 3 (number of var iables).
Therefore, the given system has non-
trivial solutions.

Converting last form of A into equations

we get
x + 3y − 2z = 0
−7y + 8z = 0
On assuming z = k , where k is arbitrary
constant and applying back substitution,
we find
8k −10k
that y = and x = .
7 7
−10k 8k
Thus x = ,y= and z = k are
7 7
the solutions of given system.
Example-2 Solve the system of
equations
x + 2 y + 3z = 0
3x + 4y + 4z = 0
7x + 10y + 12z = 0

Solution: The given system of equation

can be written as
 ⎡1 2 3 ⎤ ⎡ x ⎤ ⎡0⎤
⎢ 3 4 4 ⎥ ⎢ y ⎥ = ⎢0⎥
⎢ ⎥⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣7 10 12 ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ z ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ 0 ⎥⎦
i.e. AX = O , where the coefficient
matrix
⎡1 2 3 ⎤
⎢
A= 3 4 4 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣7 10 12 ⎥⎦
Applying R 2 → R 2 − 3R 1 ,
R 3 → R 3 − 7R1
⎡1 2 3 ⎤
⎢
A ≈ 0 −2 −5 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣0 −4 9 ⎥⎦
Applying R 3 → R 3 − 2R 2
⎡1 2 3 ⎤
⎢
A ≈ 0 −2 −5 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣0 0 1 ⎥⎦
which is in Echelon form and hence
ρ [A] = 3 = (number of var iables).
Therefore, the given system has trivial or
zero or unique solution.

Thus x = 0 , y = 0 and z = 0 is the only

solution of given system.
Example-3 For what values of λ and
µ , the following non-homogeneous
system
x+y+z=6
x + 2y + 3z = 10
x + 2y + λ z = µ
will have
(i) Unique solution
(ii) No solution
(iii) Infinite number of solutions.
Solution: The given system of equation
can be written as
⎡1 1 1 ⎤ ⎡ x ⎤ ⎡ 6 ⎤
⎢1 2 3 ⎥ ⎢ y ⎥ = ⎢10 ⎥
⎢ ⎥⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣1 2 λ ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ z ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ µ ⎥⎦
i.e. AX = D , where the augmented
matrix
 ⎡1 1 1 6 ⎤
⎢ ⎥
[A / D] = ⎢1 2 3 10 ⎥
⎢⎣1 2 λ µ ⎥⎦
Applying R 2 → R 2 − R 1 ,
R 3 → R 3 − R1
⎡1 1 1 6 ⎤
⎢ ⎥
[A / D] = ⎢0 1 2 4 ⎥
⎢⎣0 1 λ − 1 µ − 6 ⎥⎦
Applying R 3 → R 3 − R 2
⎡1 1 1 6 ⎤
⎢ ⎥
[A / D] = ⎢0 1 2 4 ⎥
⎢⎣0 0 λ − 3 µ − 10 ⎥⎦
which is in Echelon form.
(i) For Unique solution, we require

ρ [A / D] = ρ (A) = 3 (number of vari

, which is possible iff.:
 λ − 3 ≠ 0 ⇒ λ ≠ 3.
(ii) For No solution, we require
ρ [A / D] ≠ ρ (A) , which is
possible iff.:
λ − 3 = 0 and µ − 10 ≠ 0
Or λ = 3 and µ ≠ 10
(iii) For Infinite number of solutions, we
require
ρ [A / D] = ρ (A) < 3 (number of variables)
which is possible iff.:
λ − 3 = 0 and µ − 10 = 0