MTH007: Ch 1.

1 System of Linear Equations

Year: 2019/20 Name: ID:

1. Solve the following system by elementary row operations

x1 − 3x2 + 4x3 = −4
3x1 − 7x2 + 7x3 = −8
−4x1 + 6x2 − x3 = 7

Solution:  
1 −3 4 −4
Considering the augmented matrix:  3 −7 7 −8 .
−4 6 −1 7
Replace
 R 2 by R 2 + (−3)R
  1 and replace R 3 by R
3 + (4)R1 we have:
1 −3 4 −4 1 −3 4 −4
 3 −7 7 −8  ∼  0 2 −5 4 .
−4 6 −1 7 0 −6 15 −9
Then replace R3 by R3 + (3)R2 , we have
 
1 −3 4 −4
 0 2 −5 4 .
0 0 0 3

The above reduced form indicates that original linear system is inconsistent, because the last
row would require that 0 = 3 if there were a solution. Therefore, the solution set is empty.
MTH 007 Linear Algebra for Mathematical Sciences 2

2. Find an equation involving g, h and k that makes this augmented matrix corresponding to a
consistent system:  
1 −4 7 g
 0 3 −5 h .
−2 5 −9 k

Solution:
Firstly, the augmented matrix can be reduced to

     
1 −4 7 g 1 −4 7 g 1 −4 7 g
 0 3 −5 h  ∼  0 3 −5 h  ∼  0 3 −5 h .
−2 5 −9 k 0 −3 5 k + 2g 0 0 0 k + 2g + h

Let b denote the number k + 2g + h. Then the third equation represented by the augmented
matrix above is 0 = b. This equation is possible if and only if b is zero. So the original
system has a solution if and only if k + 2g + h = 0. Example: when k = 1, h = 1 and
g = −1, we have a linear system
Ax = b
   
−1 1 −4 7
with b =  1  , and A =  0 3 −5 .
1 −2 5 −9
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3. Find the elementary row operation that transforms the first matrix into the second, and then
find the reverse row operation that transforms the second matrix into the first.
       
1 3 −4 1 3 −4 1 −2 1 0 1 −2 1 0
(1).  0 −2 6 
 0 1 −3 ; (2).  0 5 −2 8 
 0 5 −2 8 
0 −5 9 0 −5 9 4 −1 3 −6 0 7 −1 −6

Solution:
(1). Multiply R2 by − 1/2; multiply R2 by −2.
(2). Replace R3 by R3 + (−4)R1; replace R3 by R3 + (4)R1

September 20, 2019