Systems of Linear

Equations

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Example 1
x+3y+2z=6

2x+5y+4z=11

3x+8y+6z=17
1 3 2 6 -2R1 1 3 2 6
2 5 4 11 -3R1 ~ 0 -1 0 -1 -R2
0 -1 0 -1
3 8 6 17

1 3 2 6 -1 1 3 2 6
~ 0 -1 0 -1 ~ 0 1 0 1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

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An equivalent system is
x+3y+2z=6 Back x = 6-3y-2z = 6-3-2z
y=1 Substitute = 3-2z

All solutions are given by

x = 3-
z is called a free variable. It can take any value and we
2z
can obtain all possible solutions by assigning different
y =1 values to z. Any symbol can be used instead of z. E.g.
we can put z=t and write the solution as

x 3-
2t
y =
1 This can also be written as
z
t

3
 x 3 -2t
y = 1 + 0
z 0 t

3 -2t 3 -2
= 1 + 0 = 1 + t 0
0 t 0 1

This system has an infinite number of solutions.

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Example 2
x+y+3z=5
2x+y+4z=7
3x-y+z=8

1 1 3 5 -2R1 1 3 2 6
2 1 4 7 -3R1 ~ 0 -1 -2 -3 -4R2
0 -4 -8 -7
3 -1 1 8

1 3 2 6
The last line implies 0x+0y+0z = 5 which is
~ 0 -1 -2 -3
clearly impossible.
0 0 0 5
This system is inconsistent. i.e. It has no
solutions.
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Example 3
3x+7y+3z=-1
x+2y+2z= 1
5x+11y+6z=
0

3 7 3 -1 1 2 2 1 -3R1
1 2 2 1
~ 3 7 3 -1 -5R1
5 11 6 0 5 11 6 0

1 2 2 1 1 2 2 1

~ 0 1 -3 -4 -1
~ 0 1 -3 -4
0 0 -1 -1 0 0 1 1

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An equivalent system is
x+2y+2z= 1 Back x = 1-2y-2z = 1-2(-1)-
y-3z=-4 2=1
Substitutey=-4+3z=-4+3=-1
z= 1
z=1

x 1
y = -1 This system has an unique
z 1 solution.

This method, called Gaussian Elimination, can be used for

systems of any size.
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Example 4
w+x+2y-z= 3
2w+x+4y =
7 Performing row operations starting with
the augmented matrix.
3w+x+6y+z=11
1 1 2 -1 3 1 1 2 -1 3
-2R1 -1
2 1 4 0 7
-3R1 ~ 0 -1 0 2 1
3 1 6 1 11 0 -2 0 4 2

1 1 2 -1 3 1 1 2 -1 3
0 1 0 -2 -1
~ 0 1 0 -2 -1
+2R ~
0 -2 0 4 2 0 0 0 0 0
2
w+x+2y-z = 3 w = 3-x-2y+z=3-(-1+2z)-
An equivalent system is Back
x - 2z = -1 x = -1+2z
Substitute 2y+z= 4-2y-z
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Solutions are
w 4-2y-z 4 -2 -1
x -1+2z -1 0 2
= = + y + z
y y 0 1 0
z z 0 0 1

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Example 5
w+3x+7y = 11

4w+3x+y-9z Performing row operations starting with

= -1 the augmented matrix.
1 3 3w7 - 06y- 11 1 3 7 0 11
-4R1
4 3 9z=-11
1 -9 0 -9 - -9 -
-1 -3R1 ~ 27 45
-R2
0 -9 - -9 -
3 0 -6 -9 - 27 44
11
1 1 2 -1 3 The last line implies 0w+0x+0y+0z = 1 which is
0 -9 - -9 -
~ 27 45
clearly impossible.
0 0 0 0 1
This system is inconsistent. i.e. It has no
solutions.

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Example 6
x - y-4z=-4
2x + y+ z= 4
4x + y - z= 4
3x+2y+3z= 8

1 -1 -4 -4 1 -1 -4 -4 1 -1 -4 -4

2 1 1 4 - 0 3 9 12 1/3 0 1 3 4
2R
4 1 -1 4 1 ~ 0 5 15 20
~ 0 5 15 20 -
5R
-
3 2 3 8 0 5 15 20 0 5 15 20 2
4R
1 -
1 -1 -4 -4 5R
-
2
3R
0 1 3 4
1
x-y-4z = -4
~ 0 0 0 0
An equivalent system is = 4
y+3z
0 0 0 0 11
 x-y-4z = x = -4+y+4z = -4+(4-
-4 Back
3z)+4z = z
Substituy = 4-3z
y+3z = te
Solutions4are (putting z = t):
x t 0 t 0 1
y = 4-3t = 4 + -3t = 4 + t -3 .
z t 0 t 0 1

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