A systematic method for balancing chemical equations is to set up a vector equation that describes the numbers of

atoms of each type present in a reaction. Since equation involves four types of atoms (baron sulfur hydrogen and
oxygen), construct vectors in that lists the numbers of “atoms per molecule,”as follows:

To balance equation, the coefficients x1; : : : ; x4 must satisfy

The top of the leftmost nonzero column is the first pivot position. In this case the pivot is the number two in the 1 -1
position. Now we have to create zeros below the pivot point. A good choice is to adding -3/2 (minus three over two)
times row 1 to row 2. By doing this we will obtain the second matrix as shown.

The pivot position in the second row must be as far left as possible—namely, in the second column. A good choice
is to interchange the position of row 2, 3 and 4. The second row move to the third, the third row move to the fourth
and the fourth row move to the second row. Doing this and we will have the number 1 in the 2-2 position as the
pivot. This is shown in the third matrix.

Now we have to create zeros below the pivot point by adding -2 times row 2 to row 4. This is also how we obtain
the fourth matrix.

The next pivot is the 3/2 in the 3-3 position. However we want to simplifies arithmetic so we multiply row 3 by 2/3
to obtain 1 as our next pivot. This is shown in the fifth matrix.

To create zeros below this pivot we add -3 times row three row 4 and obtain the sixth matrix.

To simplifies the arithmetic we divide the first row by 2 and get our last matrix as the result.

Row reduction of the augmented matrix for this equation leads to the general solution
Since the coefficients in a chemical equation must be integers, take x 4