Cramer's Rule
Cramer's Rule
INGENIERIA DE PETROLEOS
2010
CRAMER’S RULE
Determinants can be used to solve a linear system of equations using Cramer’s Rule.
where
When solving a system of equations using Cramer’s Rule, remember the following:
1. Three different determinants are used to find x and y. The determinants in the
denominators are identical.
2. The elements of D, the determinant in the denominator, are the coefficients of the
variables in the system; coefficients of x in the first column and coefficients of y in the
second column.
5x – 4y = 2
6x – 5y = 1
Cramer’s Rule does not apply if D = 0. When D = 0, the system is either inconsistent or
dependent. Another method must be used to solve it.
3x + 6y = -1
2x + 4y = 3
Since D = 0, Cramer’s Rule does not apply. We will use elimination to solve the system.
3x + 6y = -1
2x + 4y = 3
2(3x + 6y) = 2(-1) Multiply both sides of equation 1 by
2 and both sides of equation 2 by –3
-3(2x + 4y) = -3(3) to eliminate x
6x + 12y = -2 Simplify
-6x – 12y = -9
0 = -11 Add the equations
The false statement, 0 = -11, indicates that the system is inconsistent and has no solution.
Cramer’s Rule can be generalized to systems of linear equations with more than two
variables. Suppose we are given a system with the determinant of the coefficient matrix D.
Let denote the determinant of the matrix obtained by replacing the column containing
the coefficients of "n" with the constants from the right sides of the equations. Then we
have the following result:
If a linear system of equations with variables x, y, z, . . . has a unique solution given by the
formulas
4x - y + z = -5
2x + 2y + 3z = 10
5x – 2y + 6z = 1
is obtained by replacing the y-coefficients in the second column of D with the constants
from the right sides of the equations
is obtained by replacing the z-coefficients in the third column of D with the constants
from the right sides of the equations
= 72 – 3 – 14
= 55
= -90 + 57 – 22
= -55
= 228 - 15 – 48
= 165
= 88 – 48 + 70
= 110
Substitute these four values into the formula from Cramer’s Rule:
REFERENCE
http://www.occc.edu/maustin/cramers_rule/cramer's%20rule.htm