Ergün Yaraneri

MAT 261E
yaraneri@itu.edu.tr

Some Solved Problems

Problem 1. Solve the following system by Gauss-Jordan elimination.

10y − 4z + w = 1
x + 4y − z + w = 2
3x + 2y + z + 2w = 5
−2x − 8y + 2z − 2w = −4
x − 6y + 3z = 1

Solution: The augmented matrix is  

0 10 −4 1 1

 1 4 −1 1 2 


 3 2 1 2 5 .

 −2 −8 2 −2 −4 
1 −6 3 0 1
We may reduce it as follows:
   
0 10 −4 1 1 1 4 −1 1 2
 1
 4 −1 1 2 


 0 10 −4 1 1  −3R1 + R3 → R3

 3 2 1 2 5  R1 ↔ R2  3 2 1 2 5  2R1 + R4 → R4
   
 −2 −8 2 −2 −4   −2 −8 2 −2 −4  −R1 + R5 → R5
1 −6 3 0 1 1 −6 3 0 1
   
1 4 −1 1 2 1 4 −1 1 2
4 1 1

 0 10 −4 1 1 
 1
 0
 1 − 10 10 10

 10R2 + R3 → R3

 0 −10 4 −1 −1  R2  0 −10
 10  4 −1 −1 
 10R2 + R5 → R5
 0 0 0 0 0   0 0 0 0 0 
0 −10 4 −1 −1 0 −10 4 −1 −1
   6 6 16 
1 4 −1 1 2 1 0 10 10 10
4 1 1  4 1 1
 0
 1 − 10 10 10 
 0
 1 − 10 10 10


 − 4R2 + R1 → R1  0
 0 0 0 0 0  0 0 0 0 
.


 0 0 0 0 0   0 0 0 0 0 
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
The last matrix is in the reduced row echelon form. The corresponding system of equations is
3 3 8
x + 5z + 5w = 5
2 1 1
y − 5z + 10 w = 10

Note that x and y are leading variables while z and w are free variables. Letting z = r and w = s where r and s
are arbitrary real numbers, we get
8 3 3
x = 5 − 5r − 5s
1 2 1
y = 10 + 5r − 10 s
z = r
w = s
Note that the system has infinetely many solutions.

Problem 2. Write all 3 × 3 reduced row echelon matrices.

 Ergün Yaraneri
MAT 261E
yaraneri@itu.edu.tr

Solution: They are  

1 0 0
 0 1 0 ,
0 0 1
     
1 0 ∗ 1 ∗ 0 0 1 0
 0 1 ∗ , 0 0 1 , 0 0 1 
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
     
1 ∗ ∗ 0 1 ∗ 0 0 1
 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 ,
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
 
0 0 0
 0 0 0 ,
0 0 0
where in place of ∗ , we can put any real number.

Problem 3. 1 Solve the following system by Gauss-Jordan elimination.

3x1 − 2x2 − 5x3 + x4 − 3 = 0

2x1 − 3x2 + x3 + 5x4 + 3 = 0
x1 + 2x2 − 4x4 + 3 = 0
x1 − 1x2 − 4x3 + 9x4 − 22 = 0

Solution: The augmented matrix is  

3 −2 −5 1 3
 2 −3 1 5 −3 
 .
 1 2 0 −4 −3 
1 −1 −4 9 22
We may reduce it as follows:
   
3 −2 −5 1 3 1 −1 −4 9 22
 2 −3 −3R1 + R4 → R4
 1 5 −3  
 R1 ↔ R4  2 −3 1 5 −3 
 −R1 + R3 → R3
 1 2 0 −4 −3   1 2 0 −4 −3 
−2R1 + R2 → R2
1 −1 −4 9 22 3 −2 −5 1 3
   
1 −1 −4 9 22 1 −1 −4 9 22
 0 −1 9 −13 −47  3R2 + R3 → R3  0 −1 9 −13 −47 
    (−1)R
1
2
 0 3 4 −13 −25  R2 + R4 → R4  0 0 31 −52 −166  31 R3
0 1 7 −26 −63 0 0 16 −39 −110
   
1 −1 −4 9 22 1 −1 −4 9 22
 0 1 −9 13 47 

 0
 1 −9 13 47  31
166  (−16)R3 + R4 → R4  166  (− )R4
 
 0 0 1 − 52
31 − 31 0 0 52
1 − 31 − 31 377
0 0 16 −39 −110 0 0 0 − 377
31 − 754
31
1
Solving this problem may require some patience!
 Ergün Yaraneri
MAT 261E
yaraneri@itu.edu.tr

   
1 −1 −4 9 22 1 −1 −4 0 4
−9R 4 + R1 → R 1 
 0 1 −9 13 47 
 0 1 −9  4R3 + R1 → R1
0 21 
166  −13R4 + R2 → R2 
 
 0 0 1 − 52
31 − 31 52 0 0 1 0 −2  9R3 + R2 → R2
31 R4 + R3 → R3
0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 1 2
   
1 −1 0 0 −4 1 0 0 0 −1
 0 1 0 0 3   0 1 0 0 3 
 R + R1 → R1  .
0 1 0 −2  2

 0  0 0 1 0 −2 
0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 1 2
The last matrix is in the reduced row echelon form. The corresponding system of equations is

x1 = −1, x2 = 3, x3 − 2, x4 = 2

which gives the solution of the system. Note that the system has a unique solution.

Problem 4. Find the values of a and b for which the following system is consistent. Also find the solution when
a = b = 2.
x + y − z + w = 1
ax + y + z + w = b
3x + 2y + aw = 1 + a
 
1 1 −1 1 1
Solution: The augmented matrix is  a 1 1 1 b  Using elementary row operations we simplify it as
3 2 0 a 1+a
follows:
   
1 1 −1 1 1 1 1 −1 1 1
−aR1 + R2 → R2  (−1)R3 
0 1−a 1+a 1−a b−a  0 1 −3 3 − a 2 − a 
−3R1 + R3 → R3 R2 ↔ R3
0 −1 3 a−3 a−2 0 1−a 1+a 1−a b−a
 
1 1 −1 1 1
(a − 1)R2 + R3 → R3  0 1 −3 3−a 2−a 
2
0 0 4 − 2a (1 − a)(a − 2) −a + 2a + b − 2
1
CASE I: a 6= 2. Then 4 − 2a 6= 0 and if we apply the row operation ( 4−2a )R3 to the latest matrix become

1 1 −1
 
1 1
 0 1 −3 3 − a 2−a 
1−a −a2 +2a+b−2
0 0 1 2 4−2a

Hence, x, y, z are leading variables while w is free. Consequently, the system has infinitely many solutions. And
we can solve for x, y, z in terms of the free variable w.
CASE II: a = 2. Then the last matrix before the CASE I becomes
 
1 1 −1 1 1
 0 1 −3 1 0 
0 0 0 0 b−2
Hence, it follows from the third row that there is no solution if b 6= 2. However if b = 2 the last matrix becomes
   
1 1 −1 1 1 1 0 2 0 1
 0 1 −3 1 0  − R2 + R1 → R1  0 1 −3 1 0 
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
 Ergün Yaraneri
MAT 261E
yaraneri@itu.edu.tr

Hence x, y are leading variables while z, w are free variables. Letting z = r and w = s for the free variables where
r and s are arbitrary real numbers, the solution in the case a = 2 = b is given by

x = 1 − 2r, y = 3r − s, z = r, w = s r, s ∈ R

Problem 5. Solve the following system by Gauss-Jordan elimination.

2x1 + 8x2 + 4x3 = 16

2x1 + 5x2 + x3 = 10
4x1 + 10x2 − x3 = 23
x2 + x3 = 1

Solution: The augmented matrix for the system is

 
2 8 4 16
 2 5 1 10 
 
 4 10 −1 23 
0 1 1 1

Applying elementary row operations, we can reduce it as follows:

   
2 8 4 16 2 8 4 16
−R1 + R2 → R2   0 −3 −3 −6  3R4 + R2 → R2 
  0 0 0 −3 
.
−2R1 + R3 → R3  0 −6 −9 −9   0 −6 −9 −9 
0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1

Now, it follows the second row of the last matrix that the system is inconsistent, i.e., has no solutions.

Problem 6. For which values of λ will the following system of linear equations have no solutions? Exactly one
solutions? Infinitely many solutions?
λx + y + z = 1
x + λy + z = 1
x + y + λz = 1

Solution: The augmented matrix of the system is

 
λ 1 1 1
 1 λ 1 1 
1 1 λ 1

We reduce it as follows:
0 (1 − λ) (1 − λ2 ) (1 − λ)
 
(−λ)R3 + R1 → R1 
0 (λ − 1) (1 − λ) 0 
(−1)R3 + R2 → R2
1 1 λ 1

0 (2 − λ − λ2 ) (1 − λ)
 
0
R2 + R1 → R1  0 (λ − 1) (1 − λ) 0 
1 1 λ 1
 Ergün Yaraneri
MAT 261E
yaraneri@itu.edu.tr

 
1 1 λ 1
2 R ↔ R  0 (λ − 1) (1 − λ) 0 =R
1 3
0 2
0 (2 − λ − λ ) (1 − λ)
Hence we have to analyze two cases, namely when (2 − λ − λ2 ) = 0 and when (2 − λ − λ2 ) 6= 0. Note that
(2 − λ − λ2 ) = (2 + λ)(1 − λ). Therefore (2 − λ − λ2 ) = 0 ⇐⇒ λ = 1 or λ = −2.
When λ = 1: The matrix R becomes  
1 1 1 1
 0 0 0 0 
0 0 0 0
Thus the system is consistent, and the variables y, z are free. Consequently, there are infinitely many solutions
when λ = 1.
When λ = −2: The matrix R becomes  
1 1 −2 1
 0 −3 3 0 
0 0 0 3
It follows from the last row of this matrix that the system in this case is inconsistent. Consequently, there is no
solution when λ = −2.
Up to now, we have finished analyzing the case (2 − λ − λ2 ) = 0. For the case (2 − λ − λ2 ) 6= 0, λ 6= 1 and
λ 6= −2. Therefore in this case the entries (2 − λ − λ2 ) and (λ − 1) of R are both nonzero so that the system is
consistent and there is no free variables, implying that the system has exactly one solution.
To sum up,

λ=1 =⇒ infinitely many solutions

λ = −2 =⇒ no solutions
λ 6= 1 and λ 6= −2 =⇒ exactly one solution

Problem 7. For which values of a and b the following system of linear equations will have no solutions, exactly
one solution, and infinitely many solutions?

x + y + 2z = a
2x − y + z = 2a
3y + (3 + b)z = a + b

Solution: The augmented matrix of the system is

 
1 1 2 a
 2 −1 1 2a  .
0 3 (3 + b) (a + b)

We reduce it as follows:
   
1 1 2 a 1 1 2 a
(−2)R1 + R2 → R2  0 −3 −3 0  R2 + R3 → R3  0 −3 −3 0 
0 3 (3 + b) (a + b) 0 0 b (a + b)

Therefore we must analyze two cases, namely when b 6= 0 and when b = 0.

b 6= 0 : If b 6= 0 then we see from the latest matrix that the system is consistent and all variables are leading
variables (i.e, there is no free variables). Hence, in this case the system has exactly one solution.
2
Indeed, it is not necessary to apply this operation, we did to make the resulting matrix looks like an echelon matrix (or
looks like a stair).
 Ergün Yaraneri
MAT 261E
yaraneri@itu.edu.tr

b = 0 : In this case the latest matrix becomes

 
1 1 2 a
 0 −3 −3 0  .
0 0 0 a

Hence if a 6= 0 then it follows from the third row of the above matrix that the system is inconsistent (i.e., there
is no solution). On the other hand if a = 0 then we see that the system is consistent and the variable z is free so
that the system has infinitely many solutions.
To sum up,
b 6= 0 =⇒ exactly one solution
b = 0 and a 6= 0 =⇒ no solutions
b = 0 and a = 0 =⇒ infintely many solutions

Problem 8. Let the following matrix be a row echelon form of the augmented matrix of a linear system
 
1 1 2 3 0 2
 0 0 0 1 0 4 
 .
 0 0 0 0 1 −5 
0 0 0 0 0 a

(a) How many unknowns and how may linear equations do the linear system have?

(b) If the system is consistent, what can be said about a.

(c) If the system is consistent, which variables are free?

Solution:

(a): 4 equations and 5 unknowns, because the size of a row echelon form of the augmented matrix and hence the
size of the augmented matrix is 4 × 6.

(b): a = 0.

(c): The 2nd and the 3rd variables are free, the others are leading.

Problem 9. Let a nonhomogenous system of 3 linear equations in 4 unknowns, say x, y, z, t be given. Suppose
that we solve this system and find that the system is consistent and that the variables y and t are free. What can
you say about the reduced row echelon form of the augmented matrix of the system?

Solution: It must be a matrix of the following form

 
1 a 0 b e
 0 0 1 c d 
0 0 0 0 0

where a, b, c, d, e are real numbers, and d or e are nonzero (because the system is not homogenous).