Solving System of

Linear Equations
Equivalent
• Two systems of linear equations are equivalent if
they have exactly the same solution set.

{3 𝑥1 + 𝑥2 ¿ 10
𝑥1 − 3 𝑥2 ¿ 0 { 𝑥1 ¿= 3
𝑥2 ¿ 1

Solution set: equivalent Solution set:

Equivalent
• Applying the following three operations on a system of
linear equations will produce an equivalent one.
• 1. Interchange

{ 3 𝑥1 + 𝑥2 ¿ 10
𝑥1 − 3 𝑥2 ¿ 0 { 𝑥1 − 3 𝑥2 ¿ 0
3 𝑥1 + 𝑥2 ¿ 10

• 2. Scaling

{ 3 𝑥1 + 𝑥2 ¿ 10
𝑥 1 − 3 𝑥 2 ¿ 0 X(-3) { 3 𝑥 1 + 𝑥 2 ¿ 10
−3 𝑥 1 +9 𝑥 2 ¿ 0
• 3. Row Addition

{3 𝑥1 + 𝑥2 ¿ 10
𝑥 1 − 3 𝑥 2 ¿ 0X(-3) { 10 𝑥 2 ¿ 10
𝑥1 − 3 𝑥2 ¿ 0
 Solving system of linear
equation
• Two systems of linear equations are equivalent if
they have exactly the same solution set.
• Strategy:

{
𝑥1
3 𝑥1
− 3 𝑥2
+ 𝑥2 {
¿ 0𝑥1 − 3 𝑥2
¿ 10 10 𝑥 2 ¿ 10
¿ 0𝑥1
{ − 3 𝑥2
𝑥2 ¿1 {¿𝑥
0 1
𝑥2
¿= 3
¿1

We know how to transform the given system of linear

equations into another equivalent system of linear equations.
We do it again and again until the system of linear equation is
so simple that we know its answer at a glance.
Augmented Matrix
• a system of linear equation

[ ] [] []
𝑎 11 𝑎1 2 ⋯ 𝑎1 𝑛 𝑥1 𝑏1
𝑎2 1 𝑎 22 ⋯ 𝑎2 𝑛 𝑥2 𝑏2
𝐴= 𝑥= 𝑏=
⋮ ⋮ ⋱ ⋮ ⋮ ⋮
mxn 𝑎 𝑎𝑚 2 ⋯ 𝑎 𝑚𝑛 𝑥𝑛
𝑚1 𝑏𝑚
coefficient matrix
Augmented Matrix
• a system of linear equation

m x (n+1)
mxn mx1

augmented matrix
 Solving system of linear
equation
• Two systems of linear equations are equivalent if
they have exactly the same solution set.
• Strategy of solving:
{
𝑥1
3 𝑥1
− 3 𝑥2
+ 𝑥2 {
¿ 0𝑥1 − 3 𝑥2
¿ 10 10 𝑥 2 ¿ 10
¿ 0𝑥1
{ − 3 𝑥2
𝑥2 ¿1 {
¿𝑥
0 1
𝑥2
¿= 3
¿1

[ 13 −3
1
0
10 ] [ 10 −3
10
0
10 ] [ 1
0
−3
1
0
1 ] [ 10 0
1
3
1 ]
1. Interchange any two rows of the matrix
2. Multiply every entry of some row by the same nonzero scalar
3. Add a multiple of one row of the matrix to another row
 Solving system of linear
equation
A complex system of A simple system of
linear equations linear equations
Ax = b Ax = b
equivalent

A’=[ A b ] A’’ A’’’ …… R=[ R b ]

reduced row
echelon form
1. Interchange any two rows of the matrix
2. Multiply every entry of some row by the same nonzero scalar
3. Add a multiple of one row of the matrix to another row

elementary row operations

Reduced Row Echelon
Form
• A system of linear equations is easily solvable if its
augmented matrix is in reduced row echelon form
• Row Echelon Form

1. Each nonzero row lies

above every zero row

2. The leading entries are

in echelon form
Reduced Row Echelon
Form
• A system of linear equations is easily solvable if its
augmented matrix is in reduced row echelon form
• Row Echelon Form

1. Each nonzero row lies

above every zero row

2. The leading entries are

in echelon form
No zero rows
Reduced Row Echelon
Form
• A system of linear equations is easily solvable if its
augmented matrix is in reduced row echelon form
• Reduced Row Echelon Form

1-2 The matrix is in row

echelon form
3. The columns containing
the leading entries are
standard vectors.
Reduced Row Echelon
Form
• A system of linear equations is easily solvable if its
augmented matrix is in reduced row echelon form
• Reduced Row Echelon Form

1-2 The matrix is in row

echelon form
3. The columns containing
the leading entries are
standard vectors.
Reduced Row Echelon
Form
A R

Leading Entry

The pivot positions of A are (1,1), (2,3) and (3,4).

The pivot columns of A are 1st, 3rd and 4th columns.
Reduced Row Echelon
Form
• A system of linear equations is easily solvable if its
augmented matrix is in reduced row echelon form
Example 1. Unique Solution

x1 x2 x3 b

If RREF looks unique solution

like [ I b ]
Example 2. Infinite Solution
x1 x2 x3 x4 x5 b

Free variables
Basic variables
With free variables, there are
infinitely many solutions.
Parametric Representation:
Reduced Row Echelon
Form
• Example 3. No Solution
x1 x2 x3 b

inconsistent

When an augmented matrix contains a row in which

the only nonzero entry lies in the last column

The corresponding system of

linear equations has no solution (inconsistent).
 http://www.ams.org/
Gaussian Elimination notices/201106/
rtx110600782p.pdf

• Gaussian elimination: an algorithm for finding the

reduced row echelon form of a matrix.
forward pass backward pass
Original The reduced row
A row echelon form
augmented matrix echelon form

Elementary row Elementary row

operations operations
Please refer to the steps of Gaussian Elimination in the
textbook by yourself. http://www.dougbabcock.com/matrix.php
Example 1

1
-2
3
Example 1
Example 1

-1
Example 1

-2
Example 1
Example 1
 x1 x2 x3 x4 x5 b

Example 1

[][ ] [] [][]
𝑥1 − 5 − 2 𝑥 2+ 𝑥 5 −2 1 −5
𝑥2 𝑥2 1 0 0
𝑥3 ¿ −3 ¿ 𝑥2 0 + 𝑥5 0 + −3
𝑥4 2 − 𝑥5 0 −1 2
𝑥5 𝑥5 0 1 0
 [][ ] [] [][]
𝑥1 − 5 − 2 𝑥 2+ 𝑥 5 -8 −2 1 −5
𝑥2 𝑥2 1 1 1 -1 0 0
𝑥3 ¿ −3 ¿ 𝑥2 0 + 𝑥5 0 + −3
𝑥4 2 − 𝑥5 3 0 −1 2
𝑥5 𝑥5 0 1 0
-1
𝑥1 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑒
5 1 1
𝑥 2=− − 𝑥 1 + 𝑥5
2 2 2

[ ][ ] [ ] [ ][ ]
𝑥1 𝑥 1 -8 1 1 0 0
𝑥2 − 5 / 2− 1 / 2 𝑥 1+ 1/ 2 𝑥 5 -8 − 1/ 2 -1 1/ 2 −5 /2
𝑥3 ¿ −3 ¿ 𝑥1 0 + 𝑥5 0 + −3
𝑥4 2− 𝑥 5 3 0 −1 2
𝑥5 𝑥5 0 1 0
-1
 [] ] [ ]
Example 2 10 0
1
−3
2
0
0
1
0
0 −3
1 2
0
0
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
• Find the RREF of 2 0 −6 0 0 0 0 0

[
0 2 4 0 0 0 0 0
1 0 −3 0
0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0
0 1 2 0
𝑅= 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 1
0 0 0 0

𝑅 𝑅
×(− 2)
2𝑅 𝑶
 Example 3

[ ]
1 0 −3 0

• Find the RREF of [ 𝑅

𝑅
2𝑅
−𝑅 ] 𝑅=
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
0 1
0 0
0

[ ]
[ ] [
1 0 −3 0 0 0 0 0
𝑅
𝑅
2𝑅
−𝑅
𝑅
𝑶
2𝑅
−3 𝑅 ] 0
0
1
0
2
0 1
0 0
0
0 0
0 0
0
0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 1 0 −3 0
0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0

[ 𝑅
𝑶
𝑶
−3 𝑅 ] [ 𝑅
𝑶
𝑶
𝑅 ] 0
0
0 0
0 0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
RREF is unique
• A matrix can be transformed into multiple REF by row
operation, but only one RREF
REF
[ ]
1 −2 −1 3
0 3 3 −6
0 0 1 3

RREF
REF
[ ]
1 −2 −1 3
0 3 3 −6
0 0 3 9

REF
[ ]
1 −2 −1 3
0 3 0 − 15
0 0 3 9
Checking Independence
Linear independent
or not?

A set of n vectors is linear dependent

Given a vector set, {a1, a2, , an}, if there exists any ai that is
a linear combination of other vectors
Given a vector set, {a1, a2, , an}, there exists scalars x1, x2,
, xn, that are not all zero, such that x1a1 + x2a2 +  + xnan =
0.
have non-zero solution 𝐴= [ 𝑎1 𝑎2 ⋯ 𝑎𝑛 ]
Checking Independence
Linear independent
or not?

][ ] [ ]
A
𝑥1

[
have non-zero solution 1 1 1 1 𝑥2
0
2 0 4 2 ¿ 0
or not 𝑥3
1 1 1 3 0
𝑥4

x1 x2 x3 x4 x1 x2 x3 x4
RREF
Checking Independence
x1 x2 x3 x4 x1 x2 x3 x4
RREF

𝑥1 +2 𝑥 3= 0 𝑥1 =−2 𝑥3
𝑥 2 − 𝑥 3= 0 𝑥 2= 𝑥 3
𝑥 3 𝑖𝑠 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑒
𝑥 4= 0 𝑥 4= 0

[ ][ ] [ ] [ ][ ]
𝑥1 − 2 𝑥3 −2 setting x3 = 1 𝑥1 −2
𝑥2
= 1
𝑥2
𝑥3
¿
𝑥3
𝑥3 ¿𝑥 3
1
1 𝑥3 1
0
𝑥4 0 𝑥4
0
[ ]
1 0 0 1 3 0 0 3
0 1 0 2 0 3 0 6
0 0 1 3 0 0 3 9
1 0 0 1 2 0 0 2
0 1 0 2 0 2 0 4
0 0 1 3 0 0 2 6

[ ]
1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2
0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3