GAUSS-JORDAN

REDUCTION
1.4 GAUSS-JORDAN REDUCTION

Special method that involves systematically

eliminating variables from equations.
Procedures in solving linear system by Gauss-Jordan
Reduction
1. Write the linear system in augmented matrix.
2. Obtain the reduced row echelon form of the
augmented matrix by applying the elementary row
operations.
3. The reduced row echelon form of the augmented
matrix gives the solution to the linear system.
A matrix is considered in reduced row echelon form if it
satisfies the following properties:
P1: All rows consisting entirely of zeros are grouped at the
bottom of the matrix.
P2: The first nonzero element of each other row is 1 and
called this as leading entry of its row.
P3: The leading entry (1) of each row after the first is
positioned to the right of the leading entry (1) of the
previous row.
P4: Elements in a column that contains a leading entry (1)
are all zeros.
Note:
Consider the examples of matrices (A, B, & C) in
reduced row echelon form on page 14.
Example 1. Find all solutions of the linear system by
Gauss-Jordan Reduction.

2x – y = -1
2x + y = -7

Answer:
The linear system has solution, x = -2 and y = -3.
Example 2. Use Gauss-Jordan Reduction to solve the
linear system
x + 2y + z = 7
x + 2y + 2z = 11
2x + 3y + 2z = 10.

Answer:
The unique solution of the linear system is
x = -5
y= 4
z = 4.
Hence, the solution set for this is S.S. = {(x, y, z) | x = -5, y = 4 and z = 4}.
The only question here, how do we arrive for this solution set using the Gauss
Reduction method.
Example 3. Use Gauss-Jordan Reduction to solve the
linear system
3x - y + z = 8
x + 2y - z = 4
2x + 3y - 4z = 10.

Answer:
The unique solution of the linear system is
x=3
y= 0
z = -1.
Can you show your solution using the Gauss Jordan Reduction method?
Example 3. Use Gauss-Jordan Reduction to solve all solutions of
the linear system
x + y + 2z + 3w = 13
x – 2y + z + w = 8
3x + y + z – w = 1.

Answer:
x – w = -14
y = -1
z + 2w = 8
If w = r(for any real number), then
x=r–2
y = -1
z = 8 -2r.
The linear system has infinitely many solutions.
Example 4. Find all solutions of the linear system by
Gauss-Jordan Reduction.

2x – 3y = 1
-4x + 6y = 8

Answer:
The linear system has solution no solution.
Example 5. Find all solutions of the linear system by
Gauss-Jordan Reduction.
2x + y + z – 2w = 1
3x – 2y + z – 6w = -2
x + y – z – w = -1
6x + z – 9w = -2
5x – y + 2z – 8w = 3

Answer:
The linear system has no solution. Can you say why this
system of linear equation do not have a solution?
Exercises: Solve the following system of linear equation
using the Gauss-Jordan Reduction

a) x – 2y + 3z = 9
-x + 3y = -4
2x – 5y + 5z = 17

b) 2x + 4y – 2z = 0
3x + 5y = 1

c) x – y + 2z = 4
x+z=6
2x – 3y + 5z = 4
3x + 2y – z = 1