Gaussian Elimination

Advanced Engineering Mathematics

MATH115
Gaussian Elimination

In Gaussian elimination, we stop when we have obtained an upper

triangular matrix in the coefficient matrix.
1 𝑎12 𝑎13 𝑏1
0 1 𝑎23อ 𝑏2
0 0 1 𝑏3
In other words, by using different sequences of row operations, we
may arrive at different forms. This method then requires the use of
back-substitution.
Elementary Row Operations

We can transform a system of linear equations into an equivalent

system (that is, one having the same solutions) using the following
elementary operations:
1. (Interchange) Interchange the positions of equations in the
system.
2. (Normalize) Multiply an equation by a nonzero constant.
3. (Eliminate) Add a nonzero multiple of one equation to any other
equation.
 Example 1
Solve the following linear systems using Gaussian Elimination.
Example 1

Step 1: Convert the Linear Systems into augmented matrix.

2 1 1 0 3
3 1 1 1 ተ4
1 2 2 3 3
4 5 −2 1 16
Example 1
Step 2: Apply Elementary Row Operations so that the first column would be in the form of,
1 𝑎12 𝑎13 𝑎14 𝑏1
0 𝑎22 𝑎23 𝑎24 𝑏2
0 𝑎32 𝑎33 𝑎34 ተ 𝑏3
0 𝑎42 𝑎34 𝑎44 𝑏4
2 1 1 0 3
3 1 1 1 ተ4
1 2 2 3 3
4 5 −2 1 16
Normalize:
1 1/2 1/2 0 3/2 𝑅′1 = 𝑅1/2
3 1 1 1 4
1 2 2 3 3
4 5 −2 1 16
Example 1

1 1/2 1/2 0 3/2 𝑅′1 = 𝑅1 /2

3 1 1 1 4
1 2 2 3 3
4 5 −2 1 16
Eliminate:
1 1/2 1/2 0 3/2
0 −1/2 −1/2 1 −1/2 𝑅′2 = 𝑅2 − 3𝑅1
0 3/2 3/2 3 3/2 𝑅′3 = 𝑅3 − 𝑅1
0 3 −4 0 10 𝑅′4 = 𝑅4 − 4𝑅1
Example 1

Step 3: Apply Elementary Row Operations so that the second

column would be in the form of,
1 𝑎12 𝑎13 𝑎14 𝑏1
0 1 𝑎23 𝑎24ተ 𝑏2
0 0 𝑎33 𝑎34 𝑏3
0 0 𝑎34 𝑎44 𝑏4
Example 1

1 1/2 1/2 0 3/2

0 −1/2 −1/2 1 −1/2
0 3/2 3/2 3 3/2
0 3 −4 0 10
Normalize:
1 1/2 1/2 0 3/2
0 1 1 −2 1 𝑅′2 = 𝑅2 /(−1/2)
0 3/2 3/2 3 3/2
0 3 −4 0 10
Example 1

1 1/2 1/2 0 3/2

0 1 1 −2 1
0 3/2 3/2 3 3/2
0 3 −4 0 10
Eliminate:
1 1/2 1/2 0 3/2
0 1 1 −2 1
0 0 0 6 0 𝑅′3 = 𝑅3 − (3/2)𝑅2
0 0 −7 6 7 𝑅′4 = 𝑅4 − 3𝑅2
Example 1

Step 4: Apply Elementary Row Operations so that the third column

would be in the form of,
1 𝑎12 𝑎13 𝑎14 𝑏1
0 1 𝑎23 𝑎24 𝑏2
1 𝑎34 𝑏3 ተ
0 0
0 0 0 𝑎44 𝑏4
Example 1

1 1/2 1/2 0 3/2

0 1 1 −2 1
0 0 0 6 0
0 0 −7 6 7
Interchange:
1 1/2 1/2 0 3/2
0 1 1 −2 1
0 0 −7 6 7 𝑅′3 ↔ 𝑅4
0 0 0 6 0 𝑅′4 ↔ 𝑅3
Example 1

1 1/2 1/2 0 3/2

0 1 1 −2 1
0 0 −7 6 7
0 0 0 6 0
Normalize:
1 1/2 1/2 0 3/2
0 1 1 −2 1
0 0 1 −6/7 −1 𝑅′3 = 𝑅3 /(−7)
0 0 0 6 0
Example 1

Step 5: Apply Elementary Row Operations so that the fourth column

would be in the form of,
1 𝑎12 𝑎13 𝑎14 𝑏1
0 1 𝑎23 𝑎24 𝑏2
ተ
0 0 1 𝑎34 𝑏3
0 0 0 1 𝑏4
Example 1

1 1/2 1/2 0 3/2

0 1 1 −2 1
0 0 1 −6/7 −1
0 0 0 6 0
Normalize:
1 1/2 1/2 0 3/2
0 1 1 −2 1
0 0 1 −6/7 −1
0 0 0 1 0 𝑅′4 = 𝑅4 /(6)
Example 1

Step 6: Do Back Substitution

1 1/2 1/2 0 3/2
0 1 1 −2 1
0 0 1 −6/7 −1
0 0 0 1 0
In the fourth row,
0𝑥1 + 0𝑥2 + 0𝑥3 + (1)𝑥4= 0
𝑥4 = 0
Example 1

1 1/2 1/2 0 3/2

0 1 1 −2 1
0 0 1 −6/7 −1
0 0 0 1 0
In the third row,
0𝑥1 + 0𝑥2 + (1)𝑥3+(−6/7)𝑥4= −1
𝑥3 + (−6/7)(0) = −1
𝑥3 = −1
Example 1

1 1/2 1/2 0 3/2

0 1 1 −2 1
0 0 1 −6/7 −1
0 0 0 1 0
In the second row,
0𝑥1 + (1)𝑥2+(1)𝑥3+(−2)𝑥4= 1
𝑥2 + (1)(−1) + (−2)(0) = 1
𝑥2 = 2
Example 1

1 1/2 1/2 0 3/2

0 1 1 −2 1
0 0 1 −6/7 −1
0 0 0 1 0
In the first row,
(1)𝑥1+(1/2)𝑥2+(1/2)𝑥3+(0)𝑥4= 3/2
𝑥1 + (1/2)(2) + (1/2)(−1) + (0)(0) = 3/2
𝑥1 = 1
Example 1

𝑥1 = 1
𝑥2 = 2
𝑥3 = −1
𝑥4 = 0
Example 2

Solve the following linear systems using Gaussian Elimination.

𝑥 + 3𝑦 − 2𝑧 = −7
4𝑥 + 𝑦 + 3𝑧 = 5
2𝑥 − 5𝑦 + 7𝑧 = 19
Example 2

Step 1: Convert the Linear Systems into augmented matrix.

1 3 −2 −7
4 1 3 ቮ5
2 −5 7 19
Example 2
Step 2: Apply Elementary Row Operations so that the first column would be in
the form of,
1 𝑎12 𝑎13 𝑏1
0 𝑎22 𝑎23 ቮ 𝑏2
0 𝑎32 𝑎33 𝑏3
1 3 −2 −7
4 1 3 ቮ5
2 −5 7 19
Normalize:
1 3 −2 −7 𝑅′1 = 𝑅1
4 1 3 ቮ5 ቮ
2 −5 7 19
Example 2

1 3 −2 −7
4 1 3 ቮ5
2 −5 7 19
Eliminate:

1 3 −2 −7
0 −11 11 ቮ 33 ተ𝑅′2 = 𝑅2 − 4𝑅1
0 −11 11 33 𝑅′3 = 𝑅3 − 2𝑅1
Example 2
Step 3: Apply Elementary Row Operations so that the second column would be in the form of,
1 𝑎12 𝑎13 𝑏1
0 1 𝑎23 ቮ 𝑏2
0 0 𝑎33 𝑏3

1 3 −2 −7
0 −11 11 ቮ 33
0 −11 11 33
Normalize:
1 3 −2 −7
0 1 −1 ቮ−3 ቮ𝑅 ′2 = 𝑅2 /(−11)
0 −11 11 33
Example 2

1 3 −2 −7
0 1 −1 ቮ−3
0 −11 11 33
Eliminate:
1 3 −2 −7
0 1 −1 ቮ−3 ቮ
0 0 0 0 𝑅′3 = 𝑅3 − (−11)𝑅1
If all the elements in a row of the augmented matrix are all zeroes,
then there is no solution to the linear systems.
∴ 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑠𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑚 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑛𝑜 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛.
END