2.

4 Setting Up and Solving Systems of Linear Equations

2.4 Setting Up and Solving Systems of Linear Equations

Objectives: In this section, you will learn techniques for solving a system of linear equations using
matrices and the Gauss-Jordan Elimination Method and how these techniques can be used for solving
real-world applications. Upon completion you will be able to:
• Formulate a system of linear equations from a given scenario.
• Convert a system of linear equations to the corresponding augmented matrix.
• State the different row operations available when solving systems of linear equations with matrices.
• Identify whether or not an augmented matrix is in reduced row-echelon form (RREF).
• Show the row operations that would be used to transform a matrix which is not in reduced
row-echelon form into one in reduced row-echelon form.
• Solve a system of linear equations that has one real solution, using the Gauss-Jordan Elimination
Method.
• Use technology to reduce a matrix representing a system of linear equations.
• Write a solution from a reduced row-echelon form matrix representing a system of linear equations.
• Solve a system of linear equations that has one real solution.
• Solve a system of linear equations that has no real solutions.
• Solve a system of linear equations that has infinitely many real solutions.
• Apply augmented matrices to solve real-world problems.
• Justify the value(s) of the parameter where there appears to be more than one real solution, but all
solutions may not be consistent with the real-world scenario.

Setting up Systems of Linear Equations

We need to be able to convert word problems into algebraic expressions and equations. To begin we must
CLEARLY define variables for the unknown quantities in the word problem. We will try to choose our
variables in such a manner so that they relate to the unknowns, when possible.

! Sometimes product names start with letters such as O or l which can be visually confused with
numbers 0 and 1, so it is a good idea not to use these letters. Also, product names might all begin
with the same letter and the same letter cannot be used for multiple unknowns. Choose your
variable names wisely!

Your set up should be formatted as follows:

Variables:
:=
:=
..
.
Equations:

..
.

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 Chapter 2: Linear Models and Systems of Linear Equations

 Example 1 Set up, but do not solve, the following problem as a system of linear equations.

You want to invest money in two stocks, Allen Industries and Orchard Farms. Stock in Allen
Industries yields 15% of your investment in dividends per year while stock in Orchard Farms
yields 2% of your investment in dividends per year. If you receive $587.50 in dividends after
one year and invested three times as much money in Allen Industries as you did in Orchard
Farms, how much money did you invest in each stock?

N Each equation is developed based on a constraint, not on a variable. Every equation does not need to
contain all of the variables. The number of constraints, not the number of variables, indicates the
number of equations in the system.

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2.4 Setting Up and Solving Systems of Linear Equations

Converting between Systems and Augmented Matrices

Recall from a previous section that we used matrix multiplication with matrix equality to form a list, or
system, of equations. In a similar manner, we can use one matrix to represent a system of linear equations,
as matrices often make solving systems of equations easier because they are not encumbered with
variables.

Definition

To express a system of linear equations in matrix form, we extract the coefficients of the variables and
the constants from the equations, and these become the entries of the matrix. We use a vertical line to
separate the coefficient entries from the constants, essentially replacing the equals signs. When a linear
system is written in this form, we call it an augmented matrix. 

a1 x + a2 y + a3 z = c1  
b1 x + b2 y + b3 z = c2  a1 a2 a3 c1 
=⇒  b1 b2 b3 c2 
 
d1 x + d2 y + d3 z = c3 d1 d2 d3 c3

N Each column of an augmented matrix represents a variable in the system of linear equations. Thus, it
is important to align the variables in your equations prior to transforming them into a matrix.

 Example 2 Write the corresponding augmented matrix for the given system of linear equations.

12x + 4y = 50
−15x + 20 = 5y

N The number of equations in the system tells you the number of rows your augmented matrix will have,
and the number of columns will be equal to the number of variables plus 1 (for the constants).

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 Chapter 2: Linear Models and Systems of Linear Equations

 Example 3 Write the corresponding system of linear equations to the given augmented matrix.
Assume the variables of the equations are x, y, and z.
 
 2 −3 0 7 
 −1 −6 −8 −22 
 
0 3 1 18

Solving Systems using Gauss-Jordan Elimination

i Watch the video discussing pages 48 and 49 found in your Canvas course.

Gauss-Jordan (Row) Operations

Two systems are said to be equivalent if they have the same set of solutions. A system can be solved by
writing a series of systems, one after the other, each equivalent to the previous system. Each of these
systems has the same set of solutions as the original one; the aim is to end up with a system that is easy to
solve. Each system in the series is obtained from the preceding system by a simple algebraic manipulation
chosen so that it does not change the set of solutions.

Definition

The following operations, called elementary row operations, can routinely be performed on a matrix
representing a system of linear equations.
I. Interchange (reorder) two rows.

II. Multiply one row by a nonzero constant, k.

III. Add a multiple of one row to a different row.



N Operations are performed on rows not columns, as rows represent equations.

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2.4 Setting Up and Solving Systems of Linear Equations
1
 Example 4 Using the matrix below, perform the row operations R1 → R1 and 2R1 + R2 → R2 , in
3
order, and give each resulting matrix.
 
 3 −18 −24 −66 
 −2 −3 4 7 
 
0 3 1 18


Reduced Row-Echelon Form

i Watch the video discussing page 49 found in your Canvas course.

The goal of performing Gauss-Jordan row operations is to have a matrix in reduced row-echelon form.

Definition

A matrix is said to be in reduced row-echelon form if it satisfies each of the following four conditions:

1. All zero rows (rows consisting entirely of zeros) are below all nonzero rows, if they exist.
2. The first nonzero entry from the left in each nonzero row must be a 1, called the leading 1 for
that row.
3. Each leading 1 is to the right of all leading 1’s in the rows above it.
4. Each leading 1 is the only nonzero entry in its column.


 Example 5 Which of the following augmented matrices are in reduced row-echelon form? If the
augmented matrix is not in reduced row-echelon form, what is the first condition it fails?
 
" #  1 2 0 6  " #
−1 0 4 1 3 −1
A= B =  0 0 1 7  C=
 
0 1 5 0 1 2
0 0 0 0
 

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 Chapter 2: Linear Models and Systems of Linear Equations

Solving Systems using Gauss-Jordan Elimination by Hand

i Watch the video discussing pages 50 and 51 found in your Canvas course.

One way to solve a system of linear equations is to perform Gauss-Jordan row operations to produce a
matrix in reduced row-echelon form; the resulting system of equations has the same solution as the
original system, and the solution should be easy to determine. This process is called the Gauss-Jordan
Elimination Method.

Gauss-Jordan Elimination Method

1. Write the corresponding augmented matrix for the given system of linear equations.
2. Interchange rows, if necessary, to obtain a nonzero number in the first row, first column.
3. Use a row operation to make the entry in the first row, first column a ‘1’.
4. Use row operation(s) to make all other entries in the first column ‘0’.
5. Interchange rows, if necessary, to obtain a nonzero number in the second row, second column.
Use a row operation to make this entry 1. Use row operations to make all other entries in the
second column zero.
6. Repeat Step 5 for Row 3, Column 3 and the third column. Continue moving along the main
diagonal from upper left to lower right until you reach the last row, or until the number is zero,
which cannot be removed, and the solution can easily be read.

At the completion of this process, the final matrix will be in reduced row-echelon form.

N The process of obtaining a 1 in a location, and then making all other entries zeros in that column, is
called pivoting. With this terminology, the Gauss-Jordan Elimination Method can be remembered as
pivoting on Row 1, Column 1, then pivoting on Row 2, Column 2, and continuing to pivot on the
elements along the main diagonal from upper left to lower right until you reach the last row or until
an element along the diagonal is zero, which cannot be removed.

N In general, to obtain a ‘1’ we multiply a row by a constant, k, and to obtain a ‘0’ in a row we multiply
the row with the leading ‘1’ by a constant and add the result to the row to be changed.

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2.4 Setting Up and Solving Systems of Linear Equations

 Example 6 Solve the following system of linear equations, using the Gauss-Jordan Elimination
Method, showing all row operations and resulting matrices.

4x − 12y = 104
3x + 7y = −50

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 Chapter 2: Linear Models and Systems of Linear Equations

Solving Systems using Gauss-Jordan Elimination with Technology

The Gauss-Jordan Elimination Method can be performed using the TI-84 calculator, when the number of
rows in your matrix is less than or equal to the number of columns. If you are not required to show each
row operation, you can use this method to solve any system of linear equations.

 Example 7 Solve the following system of linear equations. If the system is dependent, write the
parametric solution.

2x + y + 7z = −7
3x + 3y + 3z = −3
1 3
y+ z =
2 2

Example 8 Solve the following system of linear equations. If the system is dependent, write the
parametric solution.

2x + y − 2z = −7
6x + 3y − 6z = −14
1 3
y+ z =
2 2

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2.4 Setting Up and Solving Systems of Linear Equations

 Example 9 Solve the following system of linear equations. If the system is dependent, write the
parametric solution.

2x + y − 2z = −7
3x + 3y + 3z = −3
x + y + z = −1

Solving Applications of Systems

 Example 10 Assume your solution to a real-world application problem was (x, y, z) = (3t − 6, −t + 5, t).
If x, y, and z represent the number of whole items produced, how many solutions does the problem
actually have?

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 Chapter 2: Linear Models and Systems of Linear Equations

Let’s solve the problem we set up at the beginning of the section.

 Example 11 You want to invest money in two stocks, Allen Industries and Orchard Farms. Stock in
Allen Industries yields 15% of your investment in dividends per year while stock in Orchard Farms yields
2% of your investment in dividends per year. If you receive $587.50 in dividends after one year and
invested three times as much money in Allen Industries as you did in Orchard Farms, how much money
did you invest in each stock?

Reflection:

• Given an application in paragraph form, would you be able to convert the problem to an equivalent
system of linear equations?
• How would you input a system of linear equations into a graphing calculator?
• Can you list the four conditions required for a matrix to be in reduced row-echelon form (RREF)?
• Can you list and perform the three row operations allowed in the Gauss-Jordan Elimination Method?
• Can you use the Gauss-Jordan Elimination Method to solve a system of linear equations, by hand?
• How do you use technology to perform all necessary Gauss-Jordan elimination row operations in
one step?
• How would you read and determine the solution(s), if any exists, to a system of linear equations
solved with the use of matrices?
• How would you use an augmented matrix to solve a real-world application, with reasonable
parameters?

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