Section 8.

2
Solving a System of
Equations Using Matrices
(Guassian Elimination)
2x + y + 3z = 1 2 1 3 x 1 2 1 3 | 1
3x − 2y + 4z = −1 3 −2 4 y = −1 3 −2 4 | −1
2x − 4y + 2z = −2 2 −4 2 z −2 2 −4 2 | −2
A x b

System of Equations Ax = b Augmented Matrix

System in
matrix form

Not every system has a unique solution.

There are three different possible solutions

• a unique solution
(exactly one solution)
the system is called
consistent
• infinitely many solutions

the system is called

• no solution
inconsistent

1
 Starting with an augmented matrix, you have two options:
Use row operations to reduce to:

row-echelon form reduced row-echelon form

Any row consisting of all zeros must Row echelon form +
be on the bottom of the matrix
Find all the leading ones.
For all nonzero rows, the first nonzero All other entries in the column
entry must be a 1. This is called the “leading 1”. containing a leading 1 should be zero
Take any 2 consecutive nonzero rows: (above and below the leading 1).
The leading 1 for the higher row must be to
the left of the leading 1 of the lower row.
The leading ones must “staircase down”
from left to right.
Reduction to reduced row-echelon
Reduction to row-echelon form is called : form is called :
Gaussian elimination Gauss-Jordan elimination
The solution is then found by The solution is then found by
back-substitution inspection or by a few simple steps

Row-echelon, Reduced row-echelon, or Neither

1. 2. 3.
1 2 5 | 3 1 0 1 | 5 1 0 3 | 1
0 0 1 | 2 0 0 1 | 2 0 1 2 | 4
0 0 0 | 0 0 1 4 | 1
row-echelon neither reduced row-echelon
4. 5. 6.
1 3 0 2 | 0 1 2 0 0 | 9 1 3 −4 | 7
1 0 2 2 | 6 0 0 1 0 | 1 0 1 2 | 2
0 0 0 1 | 0 0 0 0 1 | 7 0 0 1 | 5
0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 0 | 0
neither reduced row-echelon row-echelon
Order Matters!
row-echelon – for each column (move left to right), first
get the appropriate leading 1, then get 0’s underneath it.
reduced row-echelon – for each column (move left to right), first
get the appropriate leading 1, then get 0’s above and below it.

2
 3 Permitted Row Operations :
(remember: every row represents an equation)
a) Multiply a row by a number
3 −9 6 | 15 1
3 ⋅ R1 1 −3 2 | 5
5 −2 4 | −1 5 −2 4 | −1
2 −4 2 | −2 2 −4 2 | −2

b) Switch rows
1 7 3 | 1 1 7 3 | 1
0 −2 4 | −1 R2 ↔ R3 0 1 2 | −2
0 1 2 | −2 0 −2 4 | −1

c) Add a multiple of one row to another row

Row that is Row you want
not changing to replace

1 −2 1 | −1 − 3 R1 − 3 6 −3 | 3 1 −2 1 | −1
3 −2 4 | −1 −3 R1 + R2 = New R2 + R2 3 −2 4 | −1 0 4 1 | 2
2 1 3 | 1 NewR2 0 4 1 | 2 2 1 3 | 1

To get 1’s :
a) Switch Rows if there is a 1 in the same column but
below the desired spot.
1 7 3 | 1 1 7 3 | 1
0 −2 4 | −1 R2 ↔ R3 0 1 2 | −2
0 1 2 | −2 0 −2 4 | −1
1
b) If k is the entry in the desired spot, multiply the row by k
if every other entry in the row is divisible by k.
3 −9 6 | 15 1
3 ⋅ R1 1 −3 2 | 5
5 −2 4 | −1 5 −2 4 | −1
2 −4 2 | −2 2 −4 2 | −2
c) Do step b) followed by step a) if there is another row
where every entry is divisible by k.
2 1 3 | 1 2 1 3 | 1 1 −2 1 | −1
3 −2 4 | −1 3 −2 4 | −1 3 −2 4 | −1
2 −4 2 | −2 1
2 ⋅ R3 1 −2 1 | −1 R3 ↔ R1 2 1 3 | 1

These are the “easier” ways to get a 1

3
To get 1’s : (continued)
d) Use “elimination” step – add one row to a multiple of
another row
3 −2 4 | −1 − R2 + R1 = New R1 − R2 −2 −1 −3 | −1
2 1 3 | 1 + R1 3 −2 4 | −1
2 −4 7 | −2 NewR1 1 −3 1 | −2

1 −3 1 | −2
2 1 3 | 1
2 −4 7 | −2
1
e) Last Resort – Introduce fractions by multiplying by k

2 −5 7 | 11 1 −5 7 11
⋅ R1 1 |
2 2 2 2
4 −9 4 | −1
4 −9 4 | −1
6 −4 2 | −2
6 −4 2 | −2

These are the “harder” ways to get a 1

To get 0’s :
Use "elimination" step : add a multiple of one row to another row
Row with the Row you want
leading 1 in it to replace

The leading 1 is always obtained before getting the zero(s)

Multiply the row with the “leading” 1 by the same # but opposite sign
of the number you would like to be zero.

1 −2 1 | −1
3 −2 4 | −1 −3R1 + R2 = New R2
2 1 3 | 1

−3R1 −3 6 −3 | 3 1 −2 1 | −1
+ R2 3 −2 4 | −1 0 4 1 | 2
NewR2 0 4 1 | 2 2 1 3 | 1

4
 2x + y + 3z = 1 2 1 3 | 1
3x − 2y + 4z = −1 3 −2 4 | −1
2x − 4y + 2z = −2 2 −4 2 | −2
2 1 3 | 1 2 1 3 | 1 1 −2 1 | −1
3 −2 4 | −1 3 −2 4 | −1 3 −2 4 | −1
2 −4 2 | −2 1
2 ⋅ R3 1 −2 1 | −1 R3 ↔ R1 2 1 3 | 1

1 −2 1 | −1
−3R1 −3 6 −3 | 3
3 −2 4 | −1 −3 R1 + R2 = New R2 + R2 3 −2 4 | −1
2 1 3 | 1 NewR2 0 4 1 | 2
1 −2 1 | −1
0 4 1 | 2
2 1 3 | 1
1 −2 1 | −1
0 4 1 | 2 −2 R1 −2 4 −2 | 2
2 1 3 | 1 −2 R1 + R3 = New R3 + R3 2 1 3 | 1
NewR3 0 5 1 | 3
1 −2 1 | −1
0 4 1 | 2
0 5 1 | 3

1 −2 1 | −1 − R3 0 −5 −1 | −3
0 4 1 | 2 − R3 + R2 = New R2 + R2 0 4 1 | 2
0 5 1 | 3 NewR2 0 −1 0 | −1
then
× ( − 1)
1 −2 1 | −1
0 1 0 | 1
0 5 1 | 3
1 −2 1 | −1
0 1 0 | 1 −5 R2 0 −5 0 | −5
0 5 1 | 3 −5 R2 + R3 = New R3 + R3 0 5 1 | 3
NewR3 0 0 1 | −2

1 −2 1 | −1 x − 2 y + z = −1 x − 2 (1) + ( −2 ) = −1 x − 4 = −1 x=3
0 1 0 | 1 y =1
0 0 1 | −2 z = −2
Solution : ( 3,1, −2 )

5
 x − 2y + z = −6
2x − 3y = −7
−x + 3y − 3z = 11

1 −2 1 | −6 1 −2 1 | −6
2 −3 0 | −7 −2R1 + R2 0 1 −2 | 5
−1 3 −3 | 11 R1 + R3 0 1 −2 | 5 − R2 + R3

1 −2 1 | −6 x − 2 y + z = −6 x = −6 + 2 y − z x = −6 + 10 + 4t − t
0 1 −2 | 5 y − 2z = 5 y = 5 + 2t
0 0 0 | 0 z is free let z = t
x = 4 + 3t
y = 5 + 2t
Infinitely many solutions z =t

3x + 6y + 6z = 5
3x − 6y − 3z = 2
3x − 2y = 1

3 6 6 | 5 1
3 R1 1 2 2 | 5
3

3 −6 −3 | 2 3 −6 −3 | 2 −3R1 + R2
3 −2 0 | 1 3 −2 0 | 1 −3R1 + R3

1 2 2 | 5
3 1 2 2 | 5
3

0 −12 −9 | −3 −1
12 R2 0 1 3
4 | 1
4 8R2 + R3
0 −8 −6 | −4 0 −8 −6 | −4

1 2 2 | 5
3

0 1 3
4 | 1
4

0 0 0 | −2 0 x + 0 y + 0 z = −2
0 = −2
FALSE
No solution Inconsistent System

6
A system of linear equations is said to be homogeneous is each of
its equations has a constant term of 0.
a11 x1 + a12 x2 + + a1n xn = 0
a21 x1 + a22 x2 + + a2 n xn = 0
= 0
am1 x1 + am 2 x2 + + amn xn − 0

x1 = 0, x2 = 0, , xn = 0 is always a solution of a homogeneous system.

This solution is called the trivial solution.
This means that a homogeneous system is always consistent.
For a homogeneous system, there are only two different possible solutions :
• a unique solution (the trivial solution)
• infinitely many solutions
What is more interesting is when there is a solution that has one
or more of the variables not zero. A solution of this type is
called a non-trivial solution.

x + 2y − z = 0
2y + 3z = 0
x + 4y + 2z = 0

1 2 −1 | 0 1 2 −1 | 0
0 2 3 | 0 0 2 3 | 0
1 4 2 | 0 − R1 + R3 0 2 3 | 0 repeated row

1 2 −1 | 0 x + 2y − z = 0 x = z − 2y x = 4t
0 2 3 | 0 2 y + 3z = 0 y = −3 2 t
0 0 0 | 0 z is free let z = t

There are infinitely many solutions, one in

particular is (8, -3,2). This is a nontrivial solution
found by letting t be 2.

7
In a homogeneous system of equations, if you have more variables
than equations, you are guaranteed to have nontrivial solutions
x + 3y − 2z = 0
x + 3y + 4z = 0

1 3 −2 | 0
1 3 4 | 0 − R1 + R2
x = −3t
1 3 −2 | 0 x + 3 y − 2z = 0 x = −3 y y is free
0 0 6 | 0 6z = 0 z=0 let y = t y=t
z=0

With fewer equations than variables you will always have at least
one free parameter, this leads to infinitely many nontrivial solutions