SOLUTION OF SYSTEMS OF LINEAR EQUATION

A linear equation in two variables x and y is of the form + = where , and are constants and , are not both zero. If we
consider two such equations
+ =
+ =
we say that we have two linear equations with two unknowns or a system of two linear equations in two unknowns. A pair of values for
and , , , which satisfies both equations is called a simultaneous solution of the given equations.

Linear equations in three variables , , and are of the form + + = , where , , , and are real numbers and not all three of
, , and are zero. If we consider three such equations.
+ + =
+ + =
+ + =

3 methods of solving such systems of linear equations:

1. ELIMINATION METHOD
If necessary, multiply the given equations by such numbers as will make the coefficients of one unknown in the resulting equations
numerically equal. If the signs of the equal coefficients are unlike, add the resulting equations; if like, subtract them.

EXAMPLE 1: + 2 = −7, 4 − 2 = 22

To eliminate , just add equation 1 and equation 2 since the coefficients of are the same but opposite in signs.
+ 2 = −7
+ 4 − 2 = 22
5 = 15 or = 3
Substitute = 3 in either of equation 1 and equation 2 and obtain = −5

EXAMPLE 2: 3 − 2 = −20, 5 + 4 = 18

To eliminate , multiply equation 1 by 2 and add it to equation 2.

2∗ .1 : 6 − 4 = −40
+ 5 + 4 = 18
11 = −22 or = −2
Substitute = −2 in either of equation 1 and equation 2 and obtain =7

EXAMPLE 3: + 3 − 2 = −19, 2 − − = −5, 5 − 4 + 3 = 14

Eliminate from equation 1 and 2 and from equation 1 and 3

2∗ .1 : 2 + 6 − 4 = −38 −5 ∗ .2 : −10 + 5 + 5 = 25
− 2 − − = −5 2∗ .3 : + 10 − 8 + 6 = 28
7 − 3 = −33 --- equation 4 equation 5 −3 + 11 = 53
Eliminate from equations 4 and 5.
3∗ .4 : 21 − 9 = −99
7∗ .5 : + −21 + 77 = 371
68 = 272 or = 4

Substitute the value of z on either equation 4 or 5 and obtain = −3

Substitute the value of z and y on either equation 1 or 2 and obtain = −2

2. SUBSTITUTION METHOD
EXAMPLE 4: 2 + = 1, 3 − 4 = −15

From equation 1: = −2 + 1--- equation 3

Substitute the value of on equation 2: 3 − 4 −2 + 1 = −15
11 = −11 or = −1
Substitute the value of x on equation 3: =3

EXAMPLE 5: 8 − 5 = 75, 5 + 3 = 4
 SOLUTION OF SYSTEMS OF LINEAR EQUATION

!"#$%
From equation 2: = --- equation 3
!"#$%
Substitute the value of on equation 1: 8 − 5& ' = 75
%( %"
= or =5
Substitute the value of x on equation 3: = −7

EXAMPLE 6: 2 − 3 − 3 = −19, 3 − 4 − 2 = −28, 4 + 5 − 3 = 25

)$ *! (
From equation 1: = --- equation 4
)$ *! (
Substitute the value of on equation 2: 3& ' − 4 − 2 = −28
"
+ = = −5 + 1 --- equation 5
%
Substitute the value of and on equation 3: 3 −5 + 1 + 3 − 19 + 5 −5 + 1 − 3 = 25
2 −12 − 16 − 28 + 5 = 25
−52 = 52 or = −1
Substitute the value of z in equation 5: =6
Substitute the value of y and z in equation 4: = −2

3. CRAMER’S RULE
Cramer's rule is an explicit formula for the solution of a system of linear equations with as many equations as unknowns, valid whenever
the system has a unique solution. It expresses the solution in terms of the determinants of the (square) coefficient matrix and of matrices
obtained from it by replacing one column by the column vector of right-hand-sides of the equations.
EXAMPLE 7: 7 + 6 = 3, 2 + 3 = 6

7 6 3 6 7 3
+=, - +# = , - +) = , -
2 3 6 3 2 6

Evaluate each determinant:

7 6
+=, -= 7 3 −6 2 =9
2 3

3 6
+# = , - = 3 3 − 6 6 = −27
6 3

7 3
+) = , - = 7 6 − 3 2 = 36
2 6

./ .0
= , =
. .
Cramer’s Rule say that
! 1 2
= = −3 = =4
( (
&

EXAMPLE 8: 3 − 4 + 5 = −49, 4 − 2 + 1 = −28, 2 + 5 + 3 = −23

3 −4 5 −49 −4 5 3 −49 5 3 −4 −49

+ = 34 −2 14 +# = 3−28 −2 14 +) = 34 −28 14 +* = 34 −2 −284
2 5 3 −23 5 3 2 −23 3 2 5 −23

Evaluate each determinant:

3 −4 5 3 −4
+ = 34 −2 14 4 −2 = 3 −2 3 + −4 1 2 + 5 4 5 − 5 2 −2 5 + 5 1 3 + 3 4 −4 6
2 5 3 2 5
= 74 − −53 = 127

−49 −4 5 −49 −4
+# = 3−28 −2 14 −28 −2 = −49 −2 3 + −4 1 −23 + 5 −28 5 − 5 −23 −2 5 + 5 1 −49 +
−23 5 3 −23 5
3 −28 −4 6 = −314 − 321 = −635

PREPARED BY: ENGR. JAEUS M. SEGUNDO

 SOLUTION OF SYSTEMS OF LINEAR EQUATION

3 −49 5 3 −49
+) = 34 −28 14 4 −28 = 3 −28 3 + −49 1 2 + 5 4 −23 − 5 2 −28 5 + −23 1 3 + 3 4 −49 6
2 −23 3 2 −23
= −810 − −937 = 127

3 −4 −49 3 −4
+* = 34 −2 −284 4 −2 = 3 −2 −23 + −4 −28 2 + −49 4 5 − 5 2 −2 −49 + 5 −28 3 +
2 5 −23 2 5
−23 4 −4 6 = −618 − 144 = −762

!2 " 1 !12
= = −5 = =1 = = −6
1 1 1

PRACTICE PROBLEMS: USE ELIMINATION METHOD, SUBSTITUTION METHOD and CRAMER’S RULE
1. 2 − 3 = −27
4 +5 =1 = −6, = 5

2. − 4 = 10
2 − 7 = 17 = −2, = −3

3. 10 + 3 = 8
3 + 5 = 27 = −1, =6

4. 7 − = 25
8 +5 =4 = 3, = −4

5. 6 − 11 = −255
7 + 5 = −30 = −15, = 15

6. − 6 + 3 = 11
3 + +4 =0
−2 − 5 + 9 = −3 = 2, = −2, = −1

7. 8 − 9 − 2 = 86
6 − 2 − = 40
3 + 4 + 5 = 34 = 6, = −6, =8

8. 4 − + = 60
5 +3 − =9
2 + 8 − 3 = −101 = 11, = −15, =1

9. − 3 + 4 = −4
2 − − 3 = −1
4 + 2 + 5 = −36 = −5, = −3, = −2

10. 6 − 3 + 4 = 6
3 − 2 − = −8
+ 3 + 6 = 31 = 1, = 4, =3

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day

out.” – Robert Collier

PREPARED BY: ENGR. JAEUS M. SEGUNDO