Introduction to Systems of Linear Equations Linear Equations Recall that in two dimensions a line in a rectangular xy-coordinate system can be repre- sented by an equation of the form ax +by=c (a,bnot both 0) and in three dimensions a plane in a rectangular ryz-coordinate system can be repre- sented by an equation of the form ax+ by +ez=d (a,b,enotall 0) ‘These are examples of “linear equations,” the frst beinga linear equation in the variables .xand y and the second a linear equation in the variables x, y, and z. More generally, we define a inear equation in the n variables x4,.%3,...,p to be one that can be expressed in the form yxy Hagty $o+ + yt =D wo where ay, a2, ..., dy and b are constants, and the a’s are not all zero. In the special cases where n =2 or n= 3, we will often use variables without subscripts and write linear equations as aux + aay =b (ay,a; not both 0) Q axtaytaz=b (a, 8 In the special case where b = 0, Equation (1) has the form yxy Hayes Hoe ayy =O o Which is called a homogeneous linear equation in the variables x),.22,--. Xp.> EXAMPLE 1 Linear Equations Observe that a linear equation does not involve any products or roots of variables, All variables occur only to the first power and do not appear, for example, as arguments of trigonometric, logarithmic, or exponential functions. The following are linear equations: x43y=7 x — 2x, — Bay ty = 0 jx-y+32=-1 K++ $e Sl The following are not linear equations: xt3y2=4 3x $2y—4y sinx+y=0 Vai t2n+x3=1 <4 A finite set of linear equations is called a system of linear equations or, more briefly, a linear system. The variables are called unknowns. For example, system (5) that follows has unknowns x and y, and system (6) has unknowns x), x9, and x3, Srty deny 4x — x2 +323 3xy +42 + 9x5 -4 (6-6)A general linear system of m equations in the n unknowns x, 9, ...,X, can be written as ax Fayre +++ + dinky = Bi yX) + nx. +--+ + ArnXn = by on : oO Gtk + daaXr + + + dndkn = Be ‘A solution ofa linear system in n unknowns .x1,.X3, ....&) i8a sequence of n numbers 51,59, +++4 8p for which the substitution a=s, a More generally, a solution MSS Hy Tn Se of a linear system inn unknowns can be written as ) which is called an ordered n-tuple. With this notation it is understood that all variables appear in the same order in each equation. Ifn = 2, then the n-tuple is called an ordered ‘pair, and if'n = 3, then it is called an ordered triple. (51,535Linear systems in two unknowns arise in connection with intersections of lines. For example, consider the linear system ax +biy ax thy =e No solution One solution In general, we say that a linear system is consistent if it has at least one solution and inconsistent if it has no solutions. Thus, a consistent linear systemof two equations in ‘two unknowns has either one solution or infinitely many solutions—there are no other possibilities. The same is true for a linear system of three equations in three unknowns axthyteaz=d ax + yy +02 = dy ax thy tes = ds in which the graphs of the equations are planes. The solutions of the system, if any, correspond to points where all three planes intersect, so again we see that there are only three possibilities—no solutions, one solution, or infinitely many solutions (Figure 1.1.2), Infinitely many solutions (Coincident lines)Every system of linear equations has zero, one, or infinitely many solutions. There are no other possibilities. > EXAMPLE 2 A Linear System with One Solution Solve the linear system x-yel dty=6 > EXAMPLE 3 ALinear System with No Solutions Solve the linear system, xt ys4 Bx t3y =6 > EXAMPLE 4 A Linear System with Infinitely Many Solutions Solve the linear systemEXAMPLE 2 EXAMPLE 3 Solution We can eliminate x from the second equation by adding —2 times the first equation to the second. This yields the simplified system x-ysl By =4 From the second equation we obtain y = 4, and on substituting this value in the first equation we obtain x = | + y = 2. Thus, the system has the unique solution =: x=h, y= Geometrically, this means that the lines represented by the equations in the system intersect at the single point (2, 4). We leave it for you to check this by graphing the lines. Solution We can eliminate x from the second equation by adding —3 times the first equation to the second equation. This yields the simplified system xty=4 0=-6EXAMPLE 4 Solution We can eliminate x from the second equation by adding —4 times the first equation to the second. This yields the simplified system 4x -2y=1 0o=0 The second equation does not impose any restrictions on x and y and hence can be omitted, Thus, the solutions of the system are those values of x and y that satisfy the single equation 4x-2y=1 (s) Geometrically, this means the lines corresponding to the two equations in the original system coincide. One way to describe the solution set is to solve this equation for iL terms of y to obtain x = $+ ty and then assign an arbitrary value f (called a parameter) to y. This allows us to express the solution by the pair of equations (called parametric equations) x=ttin yer We can obtain specific numerical solutions from these equations by substituting numer- ical values for the parameter f. For example, t = 0 yields the solution (4,0), = 1 yields the solution (3, 1) , and t = —1 yields the solution (~1, —1) . You ean confirm that these are solutions by substituting their coordinates into the given equations.> EXAMPLE 5 A Linear System with Infinitely Many Solutions Solve the linear system x yt2z 2x —2y +42 > In each part of Exercises 7-8, find the augmented matrix for the linear system, (b) 6x = ae +385 Si 8 (2m +2 Bx; 2 + 4 6x tay — 4 =0> In Exercises 15-16, each linear system has infinitely many so- lutions. Use parametric equations to describe its solution set. 15. (a) 2x —3y 6x —9y 3 (b) om + 3x2 — 5 3x1 + 9x2 — 343 =x) -3n + 5 16. (a) 6x + 2x2 = -8 But om =—4