3 by 3 System

of Linear
Equations
In three dimensions a linear equation represents a plane, a
system of three such equations will normally therefore give
the point of intersection of three planes.

As a 2 simultaneous equations can be solved using a matrix

equation so can 3 simultaneous equations.

𝑎 1 𝑥 +𝑏1 𝑦+ 𝑐1 𝑧=𝑑 1
   
𝑎1 𝑏1 𝑐1 𝑥 𝑑1
𝑎 2 𝑥 +𝑏2 𝑦+ 𝑐2 𝑧=𝑑 2
𝑎3 𝑥+ 𝑏3 𝑦+ 𝑐3 𝑧= 𝑑 3 ( 𝑎2
𝑎3
𝑏2
𝑏3
𝑐2
𝑐3 )( ) ( )
𝑦 = 𝑑2
𝑧 𝑑3
The simultaneous equation can therefore be solved by
finding the inverse of the matrix and multiplying both
sides by it so that:
 
𝑥 𝑑1

 
𝑀
−1

()
𝑀 𝑦 =𝑀
𝑧
−1
𝑑2
𝑑3 ()
𝑥 𝑑1

( )
𝑦 =𝑀
𝑧
−1
𝑑2
𝑑3 ( )
  
Solve the simultaneous equation

  2 1 1 𝑥 5
( 1
1
− 2
−1
1
2 )( ) ( )
𝑦
𝑧
= 4
7

𝑑𝑒𝑡 𝑀 =𝑎 ( 𝑒𝑖 − 𝑓h ) − 𝑏 ( 𝑑𝑖 − 𝑓𝑔 )+ 𝑐( 𝑑h− 𝑒𝑔)

 

𝑑𝑒𝑡 𝑀 =2 ((− 2∙ 2)−(1∙ −1) ) −1 ( (1 ∙ 2 ) − ( 1∙ 1 ) ) +1((1 ∙ −1)−(−2 ∙1))

 

 
𝑑𝑒𝑡 𝑀 =2 ( − 4 +1 ¿ ) − 1 ( 2 − 1 ) +1 (− 1 +2) ¿
 
𝑑𝑒𝑡 𝑀 =− 6 − 1+ 1 =− 6
   2 1 1
( 1
1
−2
−1
1
2 )
 
+(−2 ∙2 −1 ∙ −1) −(1 ∙ 2− 1∙ 1) +(1 ∙−1+2 ∙ 1)

|
Cofactor of M = −(1 ∙2 −1 ∙ −1)
+(1∙ 1 −1 ∙− 2)
+(2 ∙ 2− 1∙ 1)
−(2∙ 1− 1∙ 1)
−(2∙ −1 −1 ∙1)
|
+(2 ∙ −2 −1 ∙1)
 
+(−3) −(1) +(1)

|
Cofactor of M = −(3) +(3)
+(3) −(1)
−(− 3)
+(−5) |
  −3 −1 1
|
Cofactor of M = − 3
3
3
−1
3
−5 |
  −3 −1 1
|
Cofactor of M = − 3
3
3
−1
3
−5|
  −3 −3 3
|
Adj M = −1
1
3
3 |
−1
−5

  −3 −3 3
−1 1
M =− −1
6
1 | 3
3
−1
−5 |
   𝑥 −3
  −3   3 5
( ) 𝑦
𝑧
=¿1
− −1
6
1 | 3
3 (| )
−1 4
−5 7

  − 15 − 12+21
¿−
1
6 ( − 5+12 − 7
5+12 − 35 )
  −6
¿−
1
6 ( 0
− 18 )
  1
¿
( ) 0
3

 
∴ 𝑥 = 1 , 𝑦 = 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑧 =3
  
Solve the simultaneous equation

  3 −1 1 𝑥 1
( 1
2
1
1
−1
3 )( ) ( )
𝑦
𝑧
= 7
5

𝑑𝑒𝑡 𝑀 =𝑎 ( 𝑒𝑖 − 𝑓h ) − 𝑏 ( 𝑑𝑖 − 𝑓𝑔 )+ 𝑐( 𝑑h− 𝑒𝑔)

 

𝑑𝑒𝑡 𝑀 =3 ((1 ∙3) −(− 1∙ 1)) +1 ( ( 1 ∙3 ) − ( − 1∙ 2 ) ) +1((1 ∙ 1) −(1 ∙ 2))

 

 
𝑑𝑒𝑡 𝑀 =3 ( 3 +1 ) +1 ( 3 +2 ) +1 (1 − 2 )
 
𝑑𝑒𝑡 𝑀 =12 + 5 − 1
 
𝑑𝑒𝑡 𝑀 = 16
   3 −1 1
( 1
2
1
1
−1
3 )
 
+(1 ∙ 3+1∙ 1) −(1∙ 3+1 ∙2) +(1 ∙1 −1 ∙ 2)

|
Cofactor of M = −(−1 ∙3 − 1∙ 1)
+(−1 ∙−1 −1 ∙ 1)
+(3 ∙3 − 1∙ 2)
−(3 ∙ −1 −1∙ 1)
−(3 ∙1+1 ∙ 2)
+(3 ∙1+1 ∙1) |
 
+(4 ) −(5) +(− 1)

|
Cofactor of M = −(− 4)
+(0)
+(7) −(5)
−(− 4) +( 4) |
  4 −5 −1
|
Cofactor of M = 4
0
7
4 |
−5
4
  4 −5 −1
|
Cofactor of M = 4
0
7
4 |
−5
4

  4 4 0
|
Adj M = −5
−1
7
−5 |
4
4
  4 4 0
M −1=
1
16 |
−5
−1
7
−5
4
4 |
 𝑥   4 4 0 1
| |( )
 
1
( )
𝑦
𝑧
=¿− 5
16
−1
7
−5
4 7
4 5

  4+28+ 0
¿
1
16 ( − 5+49+ 20
− 1− 35+20 )
  32
¿
1
16 ( )64
− 16
  2
¿ 4
−1( )
 
∴ 𝑥 = 2 , 𝑦 =4 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑧 =− 1
Row Reduction
 DEFINITIONS

Triangular Matrix – A matrix in which all the elements

below or above the leading diagonal are 0

  𝑎1 0 0   𝑎1 𝑏1 𝑐1

( 𝑎2
𝑎3
𝑏3
𝑏3
0
𝑐3 ) ( 0
0
𝑏2
0
𝑐2
𝑐3 )
Echelon Form – When a matrix has been manipulated so
that it becomes a triangular matrix.
Augmented Matrix – a matrix of numbers in which each row
represents the constants from one equation (both the
coefficients and the constant on the other side of the
equal sign) and each column represents all the coefficients
for a single variable.

 2 𝑥 +
𝑦 + 𝑧=5
𝑥 −2 𝑦 + 𝑧=4
𝑥 − 𝑦+ 2 𝑧=7

  2 1 1 5
( 1
1
− 2
−1 | )
1
2
4
7

Augmented Matrix
Row Reduction – Reducing an augmented matrix to echelon
form.

There are three valid ways we can perform row reduction:

1. Scaling: we can multiply both sides of an equation by a

nonzero number.

2. Replacement: we can add a multiple of one equation to

another, replacing the second equation with the result.

3. Swap: we can swap two equations.

 Example – Solve the following simultaneous equations by row reduction
 2𝑥 + 𝑦 + 𝑧=5
𝑥 − 2 𝑦 + 𝑧= 4
𝑥 − 𝑦+ 2 𝑧= 7

  2 1 1 5
( 1
1
−2
−1 |
1 2
4
2 7 )
  𝑛𝑑 𝑟𝑜𝑤 =𝑟 −2 𝑟
1 2

  2 1 1 5
( 0
1
5
−1 2 |
− 1 −3
7
3 )
  𝑟𝑑 𝑟𝑜𝑤 =𝑟 − 2 𝑟
1 3

  2 1 1 5
( 0
0
5
3 |
− 1 −3
−3 −9 )
3  𝑟𝑑 𝑟𝑜𝑤 =3 𝑟 2 −5 𝑟 3

  2 1 1 5
( 0
0
5
0 |
− 1 −3
12 36 )
   2 1 1 5
( 0
0
5
0 | )
− 1 −3
12 36

 2
𝑥 + 𝑦 + 𝑧=5
5 𝑦 − 𝑧 =− 3
1 2 𝑧 =36

 
12 𝑧 =36
 
5 𝑦 − 𝑧 =− 3 2 𝑥 + 𝑦 + 𝑧=5
 
𝑧 =3 5 𝑦 − 3=− 3 2 𝑥 +0+3=5
 
𝑦 =0   2 𝑥 =2
 
𝑥 =1
 Example – Solve the following simultaneous equations by row reduction
 3 𝑥 − 𝑦+ 𝑧 =1
𝑥+ 𝑦 − 𝑧 =7
2 𝑥 + 𝑦 +3 𝑧 =5

  3 −1 1 1
( 1
2
1
1 3 5|)
− 1  1
7𝑠𝑡 𝑟𝑜𝑤=𝑟 1+𝑟 2

  4 0 0 8
( 1
2
1
1
2
−1 7
3 5 |)
  𝑛𝑑 𝑟𝑜𝑤 =3 𝑟 +𝑟
2 3

  4 0 0 8
( 5
2
4
1 | )
0 26
3 5
   4 0 0 8
( 5
2
4
1 | )
0 26
3 5

  4 𝑥 =8
5 𝑥 +4 𝑦 =26
2 𝑥 + 𝑦 +3 𝑧 =5
 
4 𝑥 = 58𝑥+ 4 𝑦=26  2 𝑥 + 𝑦 +3 𝑧 =5
 
𝑥 =2  
10+4 𝑦 =26  4 +4+3 𝑧= 5
 
4 𝑦 =16   3 𝑧=− 3
 
𝑦 = 4   𝑧 =− 1
 Example – Solve the following simultaneous equations by row reduction
  𝑥 + 𝑦+ 𝑧 =5
2 𝑥+2 𝑦 − 𝑧=7
𝑥 − 𝑦 +2 𝑧=2

  1 1 1 5
( 2
1
2
−1
−1 2
2 2|)
 7𝑛𝑑 𝑟𝑜𝑤 =2 𝑟 1 − 𝑟 2

  1 1 1 5
( 0
1
0
−1 |)
3  𝑟
2 2
32 ↔ 𝑟3

  1 1 1 5
( 1
0
−1
0 |)
 2 𝑛𝑑 𝑟𝑜𝑤 =𝑟 −𝑟
2 2
3 3
1 2

  1 1 1 5
( 0
0
2
0
−1 3
3 3 |)
   1 1 1 5
( 0
0
2
0 |)
−1 3
3 3

 𝑥 +
𝑦 + 𝑧=5
2 𝑦 − 𝑧=3
3 𝑧=3

 
3 𝑧 =3
 
2 𝑦 − 𝑧 =3
 
𝑥+ 𝑦 + 𝑧=5
 
𝑧 =1 2 𝑦 − 1=3  
𝑥+2+1=5
 
𝑦 =2  𝑥 =2