Systems of Equations

Gaussian Elimination
&
Row Reduced Echelon Form

by
Jeffrey Bivin
Lake Zurich High School

jeff.bivin@lz95.org
Last Updated: October 17, 2005
 Example 1

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 x + y + z=6
4x – 8y + 4z = 12
2x – 3y + 4z = 3

1 1 1 6
4 -8 4 12
2 -3 4 3

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 I am a 1.

1 1 1 6
4 -8 4 12
2 -3 4 3

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 I need to I need to
be 0. be 0. 12 - 4(6)
4 - 4(1)
-8 - 4(1)
1 1 1 6 4 - 4(1)

4 -8 4 12 R2  4R1
2 -3 4 3 R3  2R1
2 - 2(1)
-3 - 2(1)
1 1 1 6 4 - 2(1)
3 - 2(6)
0 -12 0 -12
0 -5 2 -9

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 I need to
be 1

1 1 1 6
1
0 -12 0 -12 12 R2
0 -5 2 -9

1 1 1 6
0 1 0 1
0 -5 2 -9

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 I need to I need to
be 0. be 0. 6-1
1-0
1-1
1 1 1 6 R1  R2 1-0

0 1 0 1
0 -5 2 -9 R3  5R2
0 + 5(0)
-5 + 5(1)
1 0 1 5 2 + 5(0)
-9 + 5(1)
0 1 0 1
0 0 2 -4

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 I need to
be 1

1 0 1 5
0 1 0 1
0 0 2 -4 1
2 R3

1 0 1 5
0 1 0 1
0 0 1 -2

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 I am a 0 I need to
be 0.

1 0 1 5 R1  R3
0 1 0 1 5 – (-2)
1-1
0 0 1 -2 0-0
1-0

1 0 0 7
0 1 0 1
0 0 1 -2

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Reading the Solution

1 0 0 7 x=7
0 1 0 1 y=1

0 0 1 -2 z = -2

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Writing the Solution
x + y + z=6
4x – 8y + 4z = 12
2x – 3y + 4z = 3

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Example 2

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 x + y + z = -2
2x - 3y + z = -11
-x + 2y - z = 8

1 1 1 -2
2 -3 1 -11
-1 2 -1 8

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 I am a 1.

1 1 1 -2
2 -3 1 -11
-1 2 -1 8

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 I need to I need to
be 0. be 0. -11 - 2(-2)
1 - 2(1)
-3 - 2(1)
1 1 1 -2 2 - 2(1)

2 -3 1 -11 R2  2R1
-1 2 -1 8 R3  R1
-1 + 1
2+1
1 1 1 -2 -1 + 1
8 + (-2)
0 -5 -1 -7
0 3 0 6

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 I would prefer to make the 3 a
one in row three rather than the -5
in row 2. Why?
1 1 1 -2 To
avoid
0 -5 -1 -7 fractions!

0 3 0 6
We will
switch
1 1 1 -2
Row 2 and
0 3 0 6 Row 3

0 -5 -1 -7

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 I need to
be 1

1 1 1 -2
0 3 0 6 1
3 R2
0 -5 -1 -7

1 1 1 -2
0 1 0 2
0 -5 -1 -7

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 I need to I need to
be 0. be 0. -2 - 2
1-0
1-1
1 1 1 -2 R1  R2 1-0

0 1 0 2
0 -5 -1 -7 R3  5R2
0 + 5(0)
-5 + 5(1)
1 0 1 -4 -1 + 5(0)
-7 + 5(2)
0 1 0 2
0 0 -1 3

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 I need to
be 1

1 0 1 -4
0 1 0 2
0 0 -1 3  1R3

1 0 1 -4
0 1 0 2
0 0 1 -3

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 I am a 0 I need to
be 0.

1 0 1 -4 R1  R3
0 1 0 2 -4 – (-3)
1-1
0 0 1 -3 0-0
1-0

1 0 0 -1
0 1 0 2
0 0 1 -3

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Reading the Solution

1 0 0 -1 x = -1
0 1 0 2 y=2

0 0 1 -3 z = -3

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS

 Writing the Solution
x + y + z = -2
2x - 3y + z = -11
-x + 2y - z = 8

Jeff Bivin -- LZHS