CHAPTER 3 – Linear Equation in Three or More Variables (Jo Arles)

CHAPTER 3
LINEAR EQUATION
IN THREE OR MORE VARIABLES

Methods in Solving Linear Equations:

1. Elimination and Substitution Method
2. Adjoint Method
3. Elementary Row Operation or Gaussian Jordan Elimination
4. Pivoting
5. Cramer’s Rule

1. Elimination Method
Example 1: Consider the following linear system:
x− y + z=−1 (1)
2 x+ y −3 z=8 (2)
x−2 y +3 z=−5 (3)
Solution:
Note: Think, what equation is the most easier to eliminate. Choose y.
1. To eliminate y, just add equation (1) and (2).
x− y + z=−1
2 x+ y −3 z=8
3 x−2 z=7( 4)
2. To eliminate y, multiply equation (2) by 2 then add equation (3).
4 x+2 y−6 z =16
x−2 y +3 z=−5
5 x−3 z=11(5)
3. To eliminate x, multiply equation (1) by - 1 then add equation (2).
−x + y−z=1
x−2 y +3 z=−5
− y +2 z=−4 (6)
4. To eliminate x, multiply equation (4) by - 5 and equation (5) by 3 then add equation.
−15 x+ 10 z=−35
15 x−9 z=33
z=−2(7)
5. Substitute equation (7) which is z = - 2 to equations (5) and (6).
5 x−3 z=11(5) − y +2 z=−4 (6)
5 x−3(−2)=11 − y +2(−2)=−4
5 x+ 6=11 − y−4=−4
5 x+ 6−6=11−6 − y−4+ 4=−4+ 4
5 x=5 − y=0
5 5 −1 0
x= =1 y= =0
5 5 −1 −1
∴ x=1 ∴ y=0

Therefore, the solution set (x, y, z) is (1, 0, - 2).

CHAPTER 3 – Linear Equation in Three or More Variables (Jo Arles)

2. Adjoint Method
Steps:
1. Find the determinant of A or | A|.
2. Find AT .
3. Find Adjoint of A.
Matrix formed by finding AT .by the determinant of the cofactor of each element.
−1 1
4. Find A = ( adjoint of A )
| A|
x b1
5. Find y
z [] []
= A −1
b2
b3

Example 2: Consider the following linear system:

x− y + z=−1 (1)
2 x+ y −3 z=8 (2)
x−2 y +3 z=−5 (3)

Solution:
Step 1. Find the determinant of A or | A|.
1 −1 1 1 −1
|
2 1 −3 2 1
1 −2 3 1 −2 |
| A|={( 1 x 1 x 3 )+ ( (−1) x (−3) x 1 ) + ( 1 x 2 x(−2) ) }−{ (1 x 1 x 1 ) + ( 1 x (−3 ) x (−2) ) + ( (−1 ) x 2 x 3 ) }
| A|= {3+3−4 }− {1+6−6 }=2−1=1

Step 2. Find AT
1 2 1

[
AT = −1 1 −2
1 −3 3 ]
Step 3. Find Adjoint of A.

+ 1 −2 [ ] −[−11 −23 ] +[−11 −31 ]

[
−3 3
Adj A= − 2 1
−3 3
+2 1
1 −2
[
[
] +[ 11 13] −[11 −32 ]
] −[−11 −21 ] +[−11 21] ]
CHAPTER 3 – Linear Equation in Three or More Variables (Jo Arles)

+ ( 3−6 ) −(−3+2 ) + ( 3−1 ) −3 1 2

[
Adj A= −( 6 +3 ) + ( 3−1 ) −(−3−2 ) = −9 2 5
+ (−4−1 ) −(−2+1 ) + ( 1+2 ) −5 1 3 ][ ]
−1 1
Step 4. Find A = ( adjoint of A )
| A|
1 −3 1 2 −3 1 2
1[ ][ ]
A−1= −9 2 5 = −9 2 5
−5 1 3 −5 1 3

x b1

[] []
Step 5. Find y
z
= A −1
b2
b3
x −3 1 2 −1

[ ] [ ][ ]
y = −9 2 5 8
z −5 1 3 −5

x (−3 ) (−1 ) +1 ( 8 )+ 2(−5) 3+8−10 1

[][
z ][ ][ ]
y = (−9 ) (−1 )+ 2 ( 8 )+ 5(−5) = 9+16−25 = 0
(−5 ) (−1 )+ 1 ( 8 )+3 (−5) 5+8−15 −2

Therefore, the solution set (x, y, z) is (1, 0, - 2).

3. Elementary Row Operation (ERO Method)

Example 3: Consider the following linear system:

x− y + z=−1 (1)
2 x+ y −3 z=8 (2)
x−2 y +3 z=−5 (3)

Solution:
Write this linear system to augmented matrix.
R1−R 3 → R 3
−2 R1+ R 2 → R2
R1 → R1
1 −1 1 −1 −2 2 −2 2 1 −1 1 −1

[ 2 1 −3 8
1 −2 3 −5 ] R −R → R
1 3 3
[0 3 −5 10 0 ][
−2 R1+ R 2 → R2 2 1 −3 8 −1 2 −3 5
1 −2 4 ]
R3 + R1 → R1 R2−3 R3 → R 3
CHAPTER 3 – Linear Equation in Three or More Variables (Jo Arles)

R3+ R1 → R1
1 −1 1 −1 0 1 −2 4 0 3 −5 10

[ 0 3 −5 10
0 1 −2 4 ] R2
3R
R −3 R →
2 3
→ R2
3
[ 1 0 −1 3 0 0 ][
1 −1 1 −1 0 −3 6 −12
1 −2 ]
5 R3
+ R 2 → R2
3
R3 + R1 → R1
R3 +R1 → R1 5 −10

[ ]
1 0 −1 3 5 R3 0 0

[ 0 1
−5 10
3 3
0 0 1 −2
] 3

R2−3 R3 → R3
+ R 2 → R2
[
0 0 1 −2
1 0 −1 3
1 0 0 1
0 1
3 3

]
−5 10
3 3
0 1 0 0
1 0 0 1
[ 0 1 0 0
0 0 1 −2 ]
x 1
Therefore, the solution set y
z
= 0 .
−2 [][ ]
4. Pivoting Method
Steps:
1. Choose a pivot point (intersection of a row and column)
2. Divide the pivot row by the pivot point.
3. Change the elements by the pivot column to zero except the pivot point.
4. Compute:
PR XPC ∆∆
new aij =old aij − =old aij −
PP ∎

5. Repeat number 1 to 4.

Example 4: Consider the following linear system:

x− y + z=−1 (1)
2 x+ y −3 z=8 (2)
x−2 y +3 z=−5 (3)

Solution:
Write this linear system to augmented matrix.

1 −1 1 −1 1 −1 1 −1

[ 2 1 −3 8 = 0 3 −5 10
1 −2 3 −5 0 −1 2 −4 ][ ]
CHAPTER 3 – Linear Equation in Three or More Variables (Jo Arles)

PR XPC ∆∆
new aij =old aij − =old aij −
PP ∎
−1 X 2
new a22=1− =1+2=3
1
1X2
new a23=−3− =−3−2=−5
1
−1 X 2
new a24=8− =8+ 2=10
1
−1 X 1
new a32=−2− =−2+ 1=−1
1
1X1
new a33=3− =3−1=2
1
−1 X 1
new a34=−5− =−5+1=−4
1
−2 7

[ ]
1 0
3 3
1 −1 1 −1

[0 3 −5 10 = 0 1
0 −1 2 −4
0 0
] −5 10
3 3
1 −2
3 3

PR XPC ∆∆
new aij =old aij − =old aij −
PP ∎
(−5 ) X (−1 ) 3−5 −2
new a13=1− = =
3 3 3
10 X (−1 ) −3+10 7
new a14=−1− = =
3 3 3
(−1 ) X (−5 ) 6−5 1
new a33=2− = =
3 3 3
(−1 ) X 10 −12+ 10 −2
new a34=−4− = =
3 3 3

−2 7

[ ]
1 0
3 3
1 0 0 1
0 1

0 0
−5 10
3 3
1 −2
=0 1 0 0
0 0 1 −2 [ ]
3 3

PR XPC ∆∆
new aij =old aij − =old aij −
PP ∎
7 −2 −2 3 7−4 3
new a14= −
3 3 ( )( )( )
3 1
=
3
= =1
3
CHAPTER 3 – Linear Equation in Three or More Variables (Jo Arles)

10 −5 −2
new a24=
3
−
3 3 ( )( )( 31 )= 10−10
3
0
= =0
3
1 0 0 1

[ 0 1 0 0
0 0 1 −2 ]
x 1

z −2[][ ]
Therefore, the solution set y = 0 .

5. Cramer’s Rule Method

Steps:
1. Compute | A|.
If | A|=0, Cramer’s is not Applicable.
2. If | A|≠ 0, for each i
|A i|
x i=
| A|
Where Ai is the matrix obtained from A by replacing the ith column of A by B

Example 5: Consider the following linear system:

x− y + z=−1 (1)
2 x+ y −3 z=8 (2)
x−2 y +3 z=−5 (3)

Solution:
Step 1. Compute | A|.
1 −1 1 1 −1
|
2 1 −3 2 1
1 −2 3 1 −2 |
| A|={( 1 x 1 x 3 )+ ( (−1) x (−3) x 1 ) + ( 1 x 2 x(−2) ) }−{ (1 x 1 x 1 ) + ( 1 x (−3 ) x (−2) ) + ( (−1 ) x 2 x 3 ) }
| A|= {3+3−4 }− {1+6−6 }=2−1=1

Step 2. Compute

−1 −1 1 −1 −1

x=
|8 1 −3 8 1
|
−5 −2 3 −5 −2 (−3−15−16 ) −(−5−6−24) −34−(−35) −34+35 1
= = = = =1
|A| 1 1 1 1
CHAPTER 3 – Linear Equation in Three or More Variables (Jo Arles)

1 −1 1 1 −1

y=
|
2 8 −3 2 8
|
1 −5 3 1 −5 ( 24+3−10 )−(8+15−6) 17−17 0
= = = =0
| A| 1 1 1

1 −1 −1 1 −1

z=
|
2 1
|
8 2 1
1 −2 −5 1 −2 (−5−8+ 4 ) −(−1−16+10) −9−(−7) −9+7 −2
= = = = =−2
| A| 1 1 1 1

x 1

[][ ]
Therefore, the solution set y = 0 .
z −2