✎

5.2
✍ ✌

Cramer’s Rule
Introduction
Cramer’s rule is a method for solving linear simultaneous equations. It makes use of determinants
and so a knowledge of these is necessary before proceeding.

1. Cramer’s Rule - two equations

If we are given a pair of simultaneous equations

a1 x + b1 y = d1
a2 x + b2 y = d2

then x, and y can be found from

   
 d1 b1   a1 d1 
 
   
 d2 b2   a2 d2 
x=   y=  
 a1 b1   a1 b1 
 
   
 a2 b2   a2 b 2 

Example
Solve the equations

3x + 4y = −14
−2x − 3y = 11

Solution
Using Cramer’s rule we can write the solution as the ratio of two determinants.
   
 −14 4   3 −14 
   
   
 11 −3  −2  −2 11  5
x= 
 3

 = = 2, y= 
 3

 = = −5
 4  −1  4  −1
   
 −2 −3   −2 −3 

The solution of the simultaneous equations is then x = 2, y = −5.

5.2.1 copyright 
c Pearson Education Limited, 2000
2. Cramer’s rule - three equations
For the case of three equations in three unknowns: If

a1 x + b1 y + c1 z = d1
a2 x + b2 y + c2 z = d2
a3 x + b3 y + c3 z = d3

then x, y and z can be found from

     
 d1 b1 c1   a1 d1 c1   a1 b1 d1 
     
     
 d2 b2 c2   a2 d2 c2   a2 b2 d2 
     
 d3 b3 c3   a3 d3 c3   a3 b3 d3 
x=   y=   z=  
 a1 b1 c1   a1 b1 c1   a1 b1 c1 
     
     
 a2 b2 c2   a2 b2 c2   a2 b2 c2 
     
 a3 b3 c3   a3 b3 c3   a3 b3 c3 
 
 

Exercises
Use Cramer’s rule to solve the following sets of simultaneous equations.
a)

7x + 3y = 15
−2x + 5y = −16

b)

x + 2y + 3z = 17
3x + 2y + z = 11
x − 5y + z = −5

Answers
a) x = 3, y = −2. b) x = 1, y = 2, z = 4

5.2.2 copyright 
c Pearson Education Limited, 2000