NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

Department of Mathematics

2023-2024 (Semester 1) MA1513 Tutorial Set 1

To be discussed in week 2 (Aug 21-25, 2023).

Hints are given at the back. Refer to them only when necessary.
You need to install MATLAB software and use the commands for some of the questions.
(Refer to the PDF document: MATLAB for Engineering for details)

1. Solve each of the following systems by Gaussian Elimination or Gauss-Jordan Elim-

ination.
 
 x1 + 3x2 + 3x3 + 2x4 = 1  x + y + 2z = 4
(a) 2x1 + 6x2 + 9x3 + 5x4 = 5 (b) x − y − z = −1
 
−x1 − 3x2 + 3x3 =5 2x − 4y − 5z = 1

 u − v + 2w = 6
(c) 2u + 2v − 5w = 3

2u + 5v + w = 9

2. In the downtown section of a certain city, two sets of one-way streets intersect as
shown in the following:

6 6
480 330

x3
 520   600

6 6
x4 x2

610 - x1 640 -
-

6 6
450 310

The average hourly volume of traffic entering and leaving this section during rush
hour is given in the diagram.

(a) Set up a linear system with four equations to find the traffic volumes x1 , x2 ,
x3 , x4 . (The average hourly volume of traffic entering an intersection must be
equal to the volume of traffic leaving.)
(b) Do we have enough information to find the traffic volumes x1 , x2 , x3 , x4 ?
(c) Given that x4 = 500, find x1 , x2 , x3 .
(d) What is the range for the possible values of x4 ?

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3. When propane gas burns, the propane combines with oxygen to form carbon dioxide
and water:
w C3 H8 + x O2 → y CO2 + z H2 O
where w and x are the numbers of propane and oxygen molecules, respectively,
required for the combustion; and y and z are the numbers of carbon dioxide and
water molecules, respectively, produced.

(a) By equating the numbers of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms, respectively,
on both sides of the chemical equation, write down a homogeneous system of
three equations in terms of w, x, y, z.
(b) Find a general solution for the homogeneous system obtained in Part (a).
(c) Find the (non-trivial) solution of w, x, y, z with smallest values.

4. Given a quadric surface in the xyz-space with equation

ax2 + by 2 + cz 2 = d,

where a, b, c, d are real constants, that passes through the points (1, 1, −1), (1, 3, 3)
and (−2, 0, 2), find a formula for the quadric surface.

5. Consider the population of certain endangered species of wild animals: On the

average, each adult will give birth to one baby each year; 50% of the new born
babies will survive the first year; 60% of the one-year-old cubs will survive the
second year and become adults; and 70% of the adults will survive each year.
Let x0 , y0 and z0 be the numbers of babies, one-year-old cubs and adults, respec-
tively, at the end of 2020, and x1 , y1 and z1 be the respective numbers at the end
of 2021.

(a) Based on the information given above, find a 3 × 3 matrix A such that
   
x1 x0
 y1  = A  y0  .
z1 z0
   
xn x0

(b) Let yn = A n 
y0 where n is a positive integer. What do the numbers
zn z0
xn , yn and zn represent?
(c) (MATLAB) Suppose initially, x0 = 0, y0 = 0 and z0 = 100. What is the
total population (i) three years later; (ii) ten years later? (See Hints for some
help with MATLAB commands.)

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6. Let A be a 3 × 4 matrix. Suppose that x1 = 1, x2 = 0, x3 = −1, x4 = 0 is a
solution to a non-homogeneous linear system Ax = b and that the homogeneous
system Ax = 0 has a general solution x1 = t − 2s, x2 = s + t, x3 = s, x4 = t where
s, t are arbitrary parameters.

(a) Find a general solution for the system Ax = b.

(b) Write down the reduced row-echelon form of A.
(c) Do we have enough information to find the matrix A?

7. The steady-state heat flow problem for the plate as shown in the diagram below
can be approximated by the solution of a linear system with 8 equations and the
variables are the temperatures at the eight internal grid points represented by
T1 , T2 , · · · , T8 in degree Celsius, using the fact that the temperature at each grid
point is approximately equal to the average of the four nearest grid points on the
left, right, top and below.

0◦ 0◦ 0◦ 0◦

T1 T3 T5 T7
5◦ 20◦

T2 T4 T6 T8
5◦ 20◦

10◦ 10◦ 10◦ 10◦

(a) Set up the 8 by 8 linear system.
(b) (MATLAB) Use MATLAB command to compute the reduced row echelon
form of the augmented matrix of this system, and hence find the temperatures
T1 , T2 , · · · , T8 .

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Hints and answers

1. (a) General Solution: x1 = −2 − 3s − t, x2 = s, x3 = 1 − 3t , x4 = t.

(b) is inconsistent. (c) Unique solution: u = 4, v = 0, w = 1. Refer to video clips
1.2 and 1.3 if you need help with solving the linear systems.

2. Set up a linear equation at each of the four intersections. They system will have
infinitely
 many solutions.

 x1 = 1060 − t

x2 = 730 − t
(a)

 x3 = 1000 − t

x4 = t
(c) x1 = 560, x2 = 230, x3 = 500; (d) range for t: 0 ≤ t ≤ 730. For (d), note that
traffic volumes cannot be negative numbers.

3. In each substance, the number of atoms of the elements in each molecule are given
by the subscripts in the respective chemical formula. (b) w = 14 t, x = 54 t, y = 43 t,
z = t; (c) w = 1, x = 5, y = 3 and z = 4.

4. If the surface passes through a certain point, the coordinates (x, y, z) of the point
will satisfy the equation of the curve. You should set up a homogeneous system
with four variables. Formula of the surface: 4x2 + 3y 2 − 3z 2 = 4.

5. First set up a linear equation by expression x1 in terms of x0 , y0 , z0 . Take note of

the contributions of the babies (x0 ), one-year-old cubs (y0 ) and adults (z0 ) in 2020
to the number of babies (x1 ) in 2021. Do the same for y1 and z1 . Then convert
the threeequations intothe required matrix equation form.
0 0 1

(a) A = 0.5 0 0 ; (c) (i) Approx. 148; (ii) Approx. 156.
0 0.6 0.7
MATLAB commands:

• Key in matrix A: ≫ A = [ 0 0 1 ; 0.5 0 0 ; 0 0.6 0.7 ]

• Key in the initial population as a column matrix: ≫ C = [ 0 ; 0 ; 100 ]
• Key in a matrix power, say A3 : ≫ A ˆ 3
• Key in a matrix multiplication, say AC: ≫ A ∗ C

6. (a) Recall that the general solution of a non-homogeneous system is related to the
general
 solution of itsassociated homogeneous system.
1 0 2 −1
(b) 0 1 −1 −1. Recover this RREF of A from the general solution of
0 0 0 0
Ax = 0. See the last part of section 1.3.

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7. (a) The system is given by
4T1 − T2 − T3 = 5
− T1 + 4T2 − T4 = 15
− T1 + 4T3 − T4 − T5 = 0
− T2 − T3 + 4T4 − T6 = 10
− T3 + 4T5 − T6 − T7 = 0
− T4 − T5 + 4T6 − T8 = 10
− T5 + 4T7 − T8 = 20
− T6 − T7 + 4T8 = 30
(b) Apply MATLAB command rref on the augmented matrix.
T1 = 3.96, T2 = 6.59, T3 = 4.24, T4 = 7.40, T5 = 5.60, T6 = 8.76,
T7 = 9.41, T8 = 12.04.