Warm-Up

Solve using the linear combination method.

7x + y =10
3x -2y = -3 (1,3)
3.6 Solving Systems of Linear
Equations in 3 Variables

10/6/15
 A system of linear equations
in 3 variables
Looks something like this:

A solution is an ordered triple (x,y,z) that

makes all 3 equations true.
 Here is a system of three linear
equations in three variables:
 x  2 y  3z  3
 Is the ordered triple (2, -1, 1) a
2 x  5 y  4 z  13 solution?
5 x  4 y  z  5

2  2(1)  3(1)  2  2  3  3

2(2)  5(1)  4(1)  4  5  4  13
5(2)  4(1)  1  10  4  1  5

 Steps for solving in 3 variables
1. Use the linear combination method to
rewrite the linear system in 3 variables as a
linear system in 2 variables.

2. Solve the new linear system for both of its

variables.

3. Substitute the values found in Step 2 into

one of the original equations and solve for
the remaining variable.
 Solve the x + 3y − z = −11

system 2x + y + z = 1
5x − 2y + 3z = 21
1. x + 3y − z = −11
2x + y + z = 1 3. 3x +4y = −10 3x +4(−4)= −10
z’s are easy to cancel!
−x −5y = 18
3x +4y = −10 x=2
Solve for x & y
2. 2x + y + z =1 2(2) +(−4) +z =1
5x −2y +3z = 21 3x + 4y = −10
4 −4+x =1
Must cancel z’s again! −3x −15y = 54
z=1
−6x −3y −3z = −3
−11y = 44
5x −2y +3z = 21
y = −4
−x −5y = 18 (2, −4, 1)
Solve the −x +2y +z = 3

system 2x + 2y +z = 5
4x +4y +2z = 6
1. −x + 2y +z = 3 2. 2x +2y + z = 5
2x + 2y + z = 5 4x +4y +2z= 6
z’s are easy to cancel
Cancel the z’s again
− x + 2y +z = 3
−2x −2y −z = −5 −4x −4y −2z = −10
−3x = −2 4x +4y +2z = 6
x = 2/3 0 = −4
Doesn’t make sense
No solution