Chapter 11 notes

11.1 TO BE WRITTEN LATER

11.2

Systems of Three linear equations in Three variables. Consider a linear equation in three variables x,y
and z such as 3x-2y+z=7. Any ordered triple (x,y,z) that makes the equation a true numerical statements
is said to be a solution of the equation. With only one equation we could find an infinite number of
solution sets.

We cannot use a graphing solution because the solution set for a three variable equation is a plane. It
involves three dimensional graphs and is impractical. For our purposes, we need to realize that from a
solution set viewpoint, a system of three linear equations in three variables produces one of the
following possibilities:

1. There is one ordered triple that satisfies all three equations.

2. There are infinitely many ordered triples in the solution set, all of which are on a line common to all
three planes.

3. There are infinitely many ordered triples in the solution set all are the coordinates of a plane.

4. No solution, they do not all intersect

Example 1. Solve the system:

{
(2 x +2 y −3 z=−1)
4 x−3 y +2 z=20
x+ 5 y −z=−8
Example 2. Solve the system:

{
3 x− y +2 z=3
4 x−5 y −2 z=20
6 x−2 y +4 z=5

11.3 Matrix approach to solving linear systems of equations

Once we get to larger and larger systems or systems with more and more variables, we can no longer use
the methods we have learned to find answers. Instead, we have to use a matrix. Even though they are
designed for larger equations we are going to start with learning how to use them for smaller systems
first. Matrices come in all shapes and sizes but to start we will look at a matrix for the three variable
three equation pattern. Each position in the matrix corresponds to the coefficient in front of each
variable with the final line being the solution, it might look like this:

( )
a1 b1 c1 d1
a2 b2 c2 d2
a3 b3 c3 d3
a4 b4 c4 d4

Just like with systems we have some basic rules of transformations that we can follow with matrices.

1. Any two rows of the matrix can be interchanged.

2. Any row of the matrix can be multiplied by a nonzero real number.

3. Any row of the matrix can be replaced by the sum of a nonzero multiple of another row plus that row.

Example 1. Solve the system using the identity matrix approach.

(34xx−+8y=−10
y=−25 )
Our general goal for all of these matrices is to get them into the identity form. This has a specific look to
it and it gives us our solutions. It looks like:

( )
1 0 0 x
( 1 0
0 1
x
y )
∨for a 3 x 3 0 1 0 : y
0 0 1 z

Example 2. Solve the system using the identity matrix approach.

( 48x+x+7y=−4
y=11)

Example 3. Solve the system using the identity matrix approach.

({ )
3 x− y +2 z=3
4 x+5 y−2 z=20
6 x−2 y +4 z =5
11.4 Determinants

Before we introduce the concept of the determinant we have to label the points in a matrix to make it
easier to discuss.

[ ]
a11 a 12 a13 a1n
a21 a 22 a23 ⋯ a2n
a31 a 32 a33 a3n
⋮ ⋱ ⋮
am 1 am 2 am 3 ⋯ amn

The purpose of this is to label our entry by its row and column. A square matrix has the same number of
rows and columns. If square matrix A, with a real number of entries can be associated with a real
number called the determinant of the matrix denoted by |𝐴|. We will first define |𝐴| for a 2x2 matrix.

Definition 11.1 If 𝐴 = [
a11 a 12
a21 a 22
a
[a
]
], then |𝐴|= 11 12 =a11 a22−a12 a21
a21 a22

Example 1. Find the determinant of the matrices.

a. [−34 67 ] b. [ 86 −31 ]

Next we will talk about how to work with a 3x3 matrix but first we have to define a few things.
Definition 11.2 states. If A is a 3x3 matrix then the minor of the matrix (denoted M ij of the aij element ¿
is found by taking the determinant of the 2x2 matrix found by deleting the ith row and jth column of the
3x3 matrix.

Example 2. Find M 12 , M 23∧M 32of the following 3x3 matrix.

[ ]
4 −2 1
2 1 3
−3 2 −1
Next is the cofactor.

Definition 11.3
i+ j
If A is a 3x3 matrix then the cofactor of the matrix C ij =−1 ∗M ij . This means the cofactor is the
same minor but either negative or not based on the position of the element.

Example 3. Find C 13∧C32 of the following 3x3 matrix.

[ ]
2 −1 3
1 4 −2
3 −2 3

a11 a12 a13

Finally, the determinant of a 3x3 matrix is; if A=a21 a22 a23 then | A|=a 11 C 11 + a21 C 21+ a31 C 31
a31 a32 a33

[ ]
1 2 −5
Example 4. Find | A| if A= 1 4 6
−3 0 5
Properties of determinants.

In order to make working with determinants easier there are some properties we should discuss.

Property 11.1 If any row or column of a square matrix A contains only zeroes then |𝐴| is 0.

Property 11.2 If square matrix B is obtained from square matrix A by interchanging two rows or columns
then |𝐵| = −|𝐴|.

or column of A by some real number k then |𝐵| = 𝑘|𝐴|.

Property 11.3 If square matrix B is obtained from square matrix A by multiplying each element in a row

Property 11.4 If square matrix B is obtained from square matrix A by adding k times a row or column of A
to another row or column of A then |𝐵| = |𝐴|.

Property 11.5 If two rows or columns of a square matrix A are identical then |𝐴| = 0 Using these
properties and our definitions we can reduce larger matrices down to a point that will make it is we can
work them more easily.

11.5 Cramer’s Rule

Another way to solve systems of equation is using the determinant. For a standard system of equations

in 2 variable which looks like ( aa xx +b+b y=c

1

2
1

2 y=c )
1

2
. The matrix of which would be
a 1 b1 c 1
a 2 b2 c 2
, if we use row

transformations to get it into augments matrix format for the first two columns we can get
c 1 b 2−c 2 b 1
1 0
a 1 b 2−a2 b1
, as long as the denominator determinant is not zero.
a1 c 2−a2 c 1
0 1
a 1 b 2−a2 b1
The point of this is that each one of these three values are determinants of the matrix excluding the row
we are using. The x value is the determinant in terms of x over the determinant in terms of the answer (
c 1 b2−c2 b1
¿and the y value is the determinant in terms of y over the determinant in terms of the
a1 b2−a2 b 1
a 1 c 2−a2 c1
answer ( ¿ . This method is called Cramer’s Rule. The definition can be written as follows:
a1 b2−a2 b 1
Given the system ( aa xx +b+b y=c
1

2
1

2 y=c )
1

2
[ ]
with D=| A|
a1 b1
a2 b2 [ ]
c b
c2 b2 [ ]a c
D x =| A| 1 1 and D y =| A| 1 1 then
a2 c2
D x x ∧D y
the solution set of the system is = =y
D D

Example 1. Solve the system (5 x−2

3 x +7 y=1 )
y=−12

( )
3 1
x− y=−17
4 2
Example 2. Solve the system:
5 7
x + y=4
6 8