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Cramer's rule: The method of determinants - Lesson 35 of a complete course in algebra

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Lesson 35
Simultaneous equations: Section 2
Back to Section 1
Cramer's Rule: The method of determinants

Example 4. Solve this system of simultaneous equations:

1) 3x + 4y = 19
2) 2x y = 9
Solution. If we add the equations as they are, neither one of the
unknowns will cancel. Now, if the coefficient of y in equation 2) were
4, then the y's would cancel. Therefore we will expand our strategy as
follows:

Make one pair of coefficients negatives of one another -- by multiplying

both sides of an equation by the same number. Upon adding the
equations, that unknown will be eliminated.
To make the coefficients of the y's 4 and 4, we will multiply both
sides of equation 2) by 4 :
1) 3x + 4y = 19

3x + 4y = 19

2) 2x y = 9

8x 4y = 36
11x

= 55
x = 55
11
x=5

The 4 over the arrow in equation 2) signifies that both sides of that
equation have been multiplied by 4. Equation 1) has not been changed.
To solve for y, substitute x = 5 in either one of the original
equations. In equation 1):
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Cramer's rule: The method of determinants - Lesson 35 of a complete course in algebra

3 5 + 4y = 19
4y = 19 15
4y = 4
y =1
The solution is (5, 1).
The student should always verify the solution by replacing x and y
with (5, 1) in the original equations.
Example 5. Solve simultaneously:
1) 3x + 2y = 2
2) 2x + 5y = 5
Solution. We must make one pair of coefficients negatives of one
another. In this example, we must decide which of the unknowns to
eliminate, x or y. In either case, we will make the new coefficients the
Lowest Common Multiple (LCM) of the original coefficients -- but with
opposite signs.
Thus, if we eliminate x, then we will make the new coeffients 6 and
6. (The LCM of 3 and 2 is 6.) While if we eliminate y, we will make
their new coefficients 10 and 10. (The LCM of 2 and 5 is 10.)
Let us choose to eliminate x:
1) 3x + 2y = 2

6x + 4y = 4

2) 2x + 5y = 5

6x 15y = 15
________________________________________________________________________

11y = 11
y = 1.
Equation 1) has been multiplied by 2. Equation 2) has been
multiplied by 3 -- because we want to make those coefficients 6 and 6,
so that on adding, they will cancel.
To solve for x, we will substitute y = 1 in the original equation 1):
3x + 2(1) = 2
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Cramer's rule: The method of determinants - Lesson 35 of a complete course in algebra

3x 2 = 2
3x = 0
x=0
The solution is (0, 1).
Problem 3. Solve simultaneously.
1) 2x + 3y = 13
2) 5x y = 7
To make the y's cancel, multiply equation 2) by 3:
1) 2x + 3y = 13

2x + 3y = 13

2) 5x y = 7

15x 3y = 21
________________________________________________________________________

17x

= 34
x= 2

To solve for y:
Substitute x = 2 in one of the original equations.
In equation 1:
2 2 + 3y = 13
4 + 3y = 13
3y = 9
y=3
The solution is (2, 3).
Problem 4. Solve simultaneously.
1)

x + 2y = 1

2) 2x 3y = 5
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Cramer's rule: The method of determinants - Lesson 35 of a complete course in algebra

To make the x's cancel, multiply equation 1) by 2:

1)

x + 2y = 1

2x 4y = 2

2) 2x 3y = 5

2x 3y = 5
________________________________________________________________________

7y = 7
y = 1
To solve for x:
Substitute y = 1 in one of the original equations.
In equation 1:
x + 2(1) = 1
x 2 = 1
x = 1 + 2
x=1
The solution is (1, 1).
We could have eliminated y by multiplying equation 1) by 3 and
equation 2) by 2.
Problem 5. Solve simultaneously:
1) 3x 4y = 1
2) 2x + 3y = 12
To make the y's cancel:
Multiply equation 1) by 3 and equation 2) by 4:
1) 3x 4y = 1

9x 12y = 3

2) 2x + 3y = 12

8x + 12y = 48
________________________________________________________________________

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Cramer's rule: The method of determinants - Lesson 35 of a complete course in algebra

17x

= 51
51

x = 17
x= 3
To solve for y:
Substitute x = 3 in one of the original equations.
In equation 2 (because the sign of y is already positive):
2 3 + 3y = 12
6 + 3y = 12
3y = 6
y=2
The solution is (3, 2).
Problem 6. Solve simultaneously:
1) 3x + 2y = 4
2) 2x + 5y = 1
To make the x's cancel:
Multiply equation 1) by 2 and equation 2) by 3:
1) 3x + 2y = 4
2) 2x + 5y = 1

6x + 4y = 8
6x 15y = 3
________________________________________________________________________

11y = 11
y=1
To solve for x:
Substitute y = 1 in one of the original equations.
In equation 1:
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Cramer's rule: The method of determinants - Lesson 35 of a complete course in algebra

3x + 2 1 = 4
3x + 2 = 4
3x = 4 2
3x = 6
x = 2
The solution is (2, 1).
We could have eliminated y by multiplying equation 1) by 5 and
equation 2) by 2.
Problem 7. Solve simultaneously:
1) 5x + 3y = 11
2) 2x + 4y = 10
To make the x's cancel:
Multiply equation 1) by 2 and equation 2) by 5:
1) 5x + 3y = 11

10x + 6y = 22

2) 2x + 4y = 10

10x 20y = 50
________________________________________________________________________

14y = 28
y = 2
To solve for x:
Substitute y = 2 in one of the original equations.
In equation 1:
5x + 3(2) = 11
5x 6 = 11
5x = 11 + 6
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Cramer's rule: The method of determinants - Lesson 35 of a complete course in algebra

5x = 5
x = 1
The solution is (1, 2).
We could have eliminated y by multiplying equation 1) by 4 and
equation 2) by 3.
Cramer's Rule: The method of determinants

A system of two equations in two unknowns has this form:

The a's are the coefficients of the x's. The b's are the coefficients of
the y's. The following is the matrix of those coefficients.

The number a1b2 b1a2 is called the determinant of that matrix.

det

= a1b2 b1a2

Let us denote that determinant by D.

Now consider this matrix in which the c's replace the coefficients of
the x's:

Then the determinant of that matrix -- which we will call Dx -- is

c1b2 b1c2
And consider this matrix in which the c's replace the coeffients of the
y's:

The determinant of that matrix -- Dy -- is

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Cramer's rule: The method of determinants - Lesson 35 of a complete course in algebra

a1c2 c1a2
Cramer's Rule then states the following:

In every system of two equations in two unknowns

in which the determinant D is not 0,
Dx

x= D

Dy

y = D

Example. Use Cramer's Rule to solve this system of equations

(Problem 7):
5x + 3y = 11
2x + 4y = 10
Solution.
D = det

= 5 4 3 2
= 20 6
= 14.

Dx = det

= 11 4 3 10
= 44 + 30
= 14.

Dy = det

= 5 10 (11) 2
= 50 + 22
= 28.

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Cramer's rule: The method of determinants - Lesson 35 of a complete course in algebra

Therefore,
x=

Dx
14
=
= 1.
D
14
Dy

28

y = D = 14 = 2.
Problem. Use Cramer's Rule to solve these simultaneous equations.
3x 5y = 31
2x + y = 1
D = det

= 3 1 (5) 2
= 3 + 10
= 13.

Dx = det

= 31 1 (5) 1
= 31 + 5
= 26.

Dy = det

= 3 1 (31) 2
= 3 + 62
= 65.

Therefore,
Dx

26

Dy

65

x = D = 13 = 2.
y = D = 13
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= 5.
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Cramer's rule: The method of determinants - Lesson 35 of a complete course in algebra

When the determinant D is not 0, we say that the

equations are linearly independent. In any system of
linearly independent equations, there is one and only
one solution.
When the determinant D is 0, then either 1) there is
not a unique solution, it is possible to name many; or
2) there is no solution at all. In case 1), the equations
are linearly dependent. One of them is simply a
multiple of the other. For example,
x+y=3
2x + 2y = 6.
In case 2), the equations are inconsistent.
x+y=3
x + y = 4.

Section 3: Three equations in three unknowns

Back to Section 1

Next Lesson: Word problems that lead to simultaneous equations

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