Algebra

Linear Systems

Lecture 2
UNSW Canberra

Semester 1, 2021
Outline

1 Linear Systems of Equations

Definitions
Solution scenarios

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Linear Systems of Equations
Linear systems

Goals:
I Defining the problem
I Defining what a solution is
I Identifying all possible solution scenarios
I Solution technique
I Prelude to matrices

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A single linear equation

Definition 1.
The general linear equation in n unknowns x1 , x2 , x3 , . . . xn is

a1 x1 + a2 x2 + a3 x3 + · · · + an xn = b.

The coefficients ai and the right-hand side (or “source terms”) b

are known real numbers.

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A system of linear equations

Definition 2.
The general system of m equations in n unknowns
x1 , x2 , x3 , . . . xn is

a11 x1 + a12 x2 + a13 x3 + · · · + a1n xn = b1

a21 x1 + a22 x2 + a23 x3 + · · · + a2n xn = b2
a31 x1 + a32 x2 + a33 x3 + · · · + a3n xn = b3
.. ..
. .
am1 x1 + am2 x2 + am3 x3 + · · · + amn xn = bm

The coefficients aij and the right-hand side bi are known real
numbers.

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A nonlinear system

The systems we deal with in this course are linear. We will not be
dealing with systems of nonlinear equations such as

x − x2 − xy = 0
3 1
y − y2 − xy = 0
4 2

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What is a solution?

A solution to a system of equations is a set of values for the

unknowns that simultaneously satifies each and every equation
in the system.

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What is a solution?

A solution to a system of equations is a set of values for the

unknowns that simultaneously satifies each and every equation
in the system.

A solution may be fixed in value or dependent on a parameter.

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Unique solutions

Consider the system

x + 2y = 40
2x + y = 35

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Unique solutions

Consider the system

x + 2y = 40
2x + y = 35

This system has the unique solution (x, y) = (10, 15). This is no

other solution to this system.

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Graphical version

x+
2y 30
=4
0

10

10 30 50

2x + y = 35
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Infinitely many solutions

If we remove one equation from the previous system and have

x + 2y = 40

we now lack enough constraints to fix the values of all

unknowns.

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Infinitely many solutions

If we remove one equation from the previous system and have

x + 2y = 40

we now lack enough constraints to fix the values of all

unknowns. The solution could be written as

1
x = s, y = 20 − s, where s ∈ R
2
or
y = t, x = 40 − 2t, where t ∈ R
Here s and t are parameters.

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Infinitely many solutions

A system of equations can have some redundancy in the

information presented. A clear example of this would be the
system

x + 2y = 40
3x + 6y = 120

where the second equation is 3 times the first equation. No new

information comes from the first equation.

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Infinitely many solutions

y y

3x
20 20
x+ x + + 6y
2y 2y = 1
= = 20
40 40

x x
20 20

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Infinitely many solutions

It is not always obvious. Consider the system

x + y + z = 1
3x + 2y + z = 5
x + 2y + 3z = −1

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Infinitely many solutions

It is not always obvious. Consider the system

x + y + z = 1
3x + 2y + z = 5
x + 2y + 3z = −1

The solution is

x = 3 + t
y = −2 (t + 1)
z = t

where t ∈ R.

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Inconsistent

The last scenario is when no solution exists and the system is

said to be inconsistent . This occurs for the system

x + 2y = 40
x + 2y = 20

Algebraically this system requires 20 = 40 which is clearly

nonsense. Geometrically the equation represent two parallel
lines. Thus there is no intersection.

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Inconsistent

A inconsistent system need not be parallel lines. The system

x + 2y = 40
2x + y = 35
x + 6y = 60

is inconsistent. Any pair of equations can be satisfied but not all

three.

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40

2x +
y=

y
35

20
x+
2y
=
40
x+6
y=6
0
x
20 40 60

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Question

We can have
one solution;
no solution; or
infinitely many solutions.

Why can’t we have a different number of solutions? Why not just

2 solutions?

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Summary

For a system of linear equations:

a solution is a set of numerical values for the unknowns that
satisfies each and every equation;
there are the following possibilities.
1. There may be a unique solution: consistent equations with
enough information to find all unknowns.
2. There may be an infinite number of solutions with a
parameter involved: consistent equations, but not enough
information to find unique values for all unknowns.
3. There may be no solution: inconsistent equations.

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