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Solving a 2 × 2 System by gaussian elimination

Solve the given system by Gaussian elimination.

2 x + 3 y = 6      x y = 1 2

First, we write this as an augmented matrix.

[ 2 3 1 −1    |    6 1 2 ]

We want a 1 in row 1, column 1. This can be accomplished by interchanging row 1 and row 2.

R 1 R 2 [ 1 −1 2 3 | 1 2 6 ]

We now have a 1 as the first entry in row 1, column 1. Now let’s obtain a 0 in row 2, column 1. This can be accomplished by multiplying row 1 by −2 , and then adding the result to row 2.

−2 R 1 + R 2 = R 2 [ 1 −1 0 5 | 1 2 5 ]

We only have one more step, to multiply row 2 by 1 5 .

1 5 R 2 = R 2 [ 1 −1 0 1 | 1 2 1 ]

Use back-substitution. The second row of the matrix represents y = 1. Back-substitute y = 1 into the first equation.

x ( 1 ) = 1 2           x = 3 2

The solution is the point ( 3 2 , 1 ) .

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Solve the given system by Gaussian elimination.

4 x + 3 y = 11    x −3 y = −1

( 2 , 1 )

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Using gaussian elimination to solve a system of equations

Use Gaussian elimination    to solve the given 2 × 2 system of equations .

   2 x + y = 1 4 x + 2 y = 6

Write the system as an augmented matrix    .

[ 2 1 4 2    |    1 6 ]

Obtain a 1 in row 1, column 1. This can be accomplished by multiplying the first row by 1 2 .

1 2 R 1 = R 1 [ 1 1 2 4 2    |    1 2 6 ]

Next, we want a 0 in row 2, column 1. Multiply row 1 by −4 and add row 1 to row 2.

−4 R 1 + R 2 = R 2 [ 1 1 2 0 0    |    1 2 4 ]

The second row represents the equation 0 = 4. Therefore, the system is inconsistent and has no solution.

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Solving a dependent system

Solve the system of equations.

3 x + 4 y = 12 6 x + 8 y = 24

Perform row operations    on the augmented matrix to try and achieve row-echelon form    .

A = [ 3 4 6 8 | 12 24 ]
1 2 R 2 + R 1 = R 1 [ 0 0 6 8 | 0 24 ] R 1 R 2 [ 6 8 0 0 | 24 0 ]

The matrix ends up with all zeros in the last row: 0 y = 0. Thus, there are an infinite number of solutions and the system is classified as dependent. To find the generic solution, return to one of the original equations and solve for y .

3 x + 4 y = 12           4 y = 12 −3 x             y = 3 3 4 x

So the solution to this system is ( x , 3 3 4 x ) .

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Performing row operations on a 3×3 augmented matrix to obtain row-echelon form

Perform row operations on the given matrix to obtain row-echelon form.

[ 1 −3 4 2 −5 6 −3 3 4    |    3 6 6 ]

The first row already has a 1 in row 1, column 1. The next step is to multiply row 1 by −2 and add it to row 2. Then replace row 2 with the result.

−2 R 1 + R 2 = R 2 [ 1 −3 4 0 1 −2 −3 3 4 | 3 0 6 ]

Next, obtain a zero in row 3, column 1.

3 R 1 + R 3 = R 3 [ 1 −3 4 0 1 −2 0 −6 16 | 3 0 15 ]

Next, obtain a zero in row 3, column 2.

6 R 2 + R 3 = R 3 [ 1 −3 4 0 1 −2 0 0 4 | 3 0 15 ]

The last step is to obtain a 1 in row 3, column 3.

1 2 R 3 = R 3 [ 1 −3 4 0 1 −2 0 0 1    |    3 −6 21 2 ]
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Write the system of equations in row-echelon form.

   x 2 y + 3 z = 9       x + 3 y = 4 2 x 5 y + 5 z = 17

[ 1 5 2 5 2 0 1 5 0 0 1 | 17 2 9 2 ]

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Solving a system of linear equations using matrices

We have seen how to write a system of equations with an augmented matrix    , and then how to use row operations and back-substitution to obtain row-echelon form    . Now, we will take row-echelon form a step farther to solve a 3 by 3 system of linear equations. The general idea is to eliminate all but one variable using row operations and then back-substitute to solve for the other variables.

Solving a system of linear equations using matrices

Solve the system of linear equations using matrices.

x y + z = 8 2 x + 3 y z = −2 3 x 2 y 9 z = 9

First, we write the augmented matrix.

[ 1 1 1 2 3 1 3 2 9     |    8 2 9 ]

Next, we perform row operations to obtain row-echelon form.

2 R 1 + R 2 = R 2 [ 1 1 1 0 5 3 3 2 9 | 8 18 9 ] 3 R 1 + R 3 = R 3 [ 1 1 1 0 5 3 0 1 12 | 8 18 15 ]

The easiest way to obtain a 1 in row 2 of column 1 is to interchange R 2 and R 3 .

Interchange R 2 and R 3 [ 1 −1 1 8 0 1 −12 −15 0 5 −3 −18 ]

Then

−5 R 2 + R 3 = R 3 [ 1 −1 1 0 1 −12 0 0 57 | 8 −15 57 ] 1 57 R 3 = R 3 [ 1 −1 1 0 1 −12 0 0 1 | 8 −15 1 ]

The last matrix represents the equivalent system.

  x y + z = 8     y 12 z = −15              z = 1

Using back-substitution, we obtain the solution as ( 4 , −3 , 1 ) .

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Questions & Answers

how did you get 1640
Noor Reply
If auger is pair are the roots of equation x2+5x-3=0
Peter Reply
Wayne and Dennis like to ride the bike path from Riverside Park to the beach. Dennis’s speed is seven miles per hour faster than Wayne’s speed, so it takes Wayne 2 hours to ride to the beach while it takes Dennis 1.5 hours for the ride. Find the speed of both bikers.
MATTHEW Reply
420
Sharon
from theory: distance [miles] = speed [mph] × time [hours] info #1 speed_Dennis × 1.5 = speed_Wayne × 2 => speed_Wayne = 0.75 × speed_Dennis (i) info #2 speed_Dennis = speed_Wayne + 7 [mph] (ii) use (i) in (ii) => [...] speed_Dennis = 28 mph speed_Wayne = 21 mph
George
Let W be Wayne's speed in miles per hour and D be Dennis's speed in miles per hour. We know that W + 7 = D and W * 2 = D * 1.5. Substituting the first equation into the second: W * 2 = (W + 7) * 1.5 W * 2 = W * 1.5 + 7 * 1.5 0.5 * W = 7 * 1.5 W = 7 * 3 or 21 W is 21 D = W + 7 D = 21 + 7 D = 28
Salma
Devon is 32 32​​ years older than his son, Milan. The sum of both their ages is 54 54​. Using the variables d d​ and m m​ to represent the ages of Devon and Milan, respectively, write a system of equations to describe this situation. Enter the equations below, separated by a comma.
Aaron Reply
find product (-6m+6) ( 3m²+4m-3)
SIMRAN Reply
-42m²+60m-18
Salma
what is the solution
bill
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bill
-24m+3+3mÁ^2
Susan
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Amira
I only got 42 the rest i don't know how to solve it. Please i need help from anyone to help me improve my solving mathematics please
Amira
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Aphelele
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Bajemah
-6m(3mA²+4m-3)+6(3mA²+4m-3) =-18m²A²-24m²+18m+18mA²+24m-18 Rearrange like items -18m²A²-24m²+42m+18A²-18
Salma
complete the table of valuesfor each given equatio then graph. 1.x+2y=3
Jovelyn Reply
x=3-2y
Salma
y=x+3/2
Salma
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Enock
given that (7x-5):(2+4x)=8:7find the value of x
Nandala
3x-12y=18
Kelvin
please why isn't that the 0is in ten thousand place
Grace Reply
please why is it that the 0is in the place of ten thousand
Grace
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Stephen
A meditation garden is in the shape of a right triangle, with one leg 7 feet. The length of the hypotenuse is one more than the length of one of the other legs. Find the lengths of the hypotenuse and the other leg
Marry Reply
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Abubakar
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Enock
state in which quadrant or on which axis each of the following angles given measure. in standard position would lie 89°
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Method
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Enock
what the last part of the problem mean?
Roger
The Jones family took a 15 mile canoe ride down the Indian River in three hours. After lunch, the return trip back up the river took five hours. Find the rate, in mph, of the canoe in still water and the rate of the current.
cameron Reply
Shakir works at a computer store. His weekly pay will be either a fixed amount, $925, or $500 plus 12% of his total sales. How much should his total sales be for his variable pay option to exceed the fixed amount of $925.
mahnoor Reply
I'm guessing, but it's somewhere around $4335.00 I think
Lewis
12% of sales will need to exceed 925 - 500, or 425 to exceed fixed amount option. What amount of sales does that equal? 425 ÷ (12÷100) = 3541.67. So the answer is sales greater than 3541.67. Check: Sales = 3542 Commission 12%=425.04 Pay = 500 + 425.04 = 925.04. 925.04 > 925.00
Munster
difference between rational and irrational numbers
Arundhati Reply
When traveling to Great Britain, Bethany exchanged $602 US dollars into £515 British pounds. How many pounds did she receive for each US dollar?
Jakoiya Reply
how to reduced echelon form
Solomon Reply
Jazmine trained for 3 hours on Saturday. She ran 8 miles and then biked 24 miles. Her biking speed is 4 mph faster than her running speed. What is her running speed?
Zack Reply
d=r×t the equation would be 8/r+24/r+4=3 worked out
Sheirtina
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Source:  OpenStax, College algebra. OpenStax CNX. Feb 06, 2015 Download for free at https://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11759/1.3
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