GAUSS-JORDAN METHOD OF

SOLVING SYSTEMS OF EQUATIONS THEORY

We‘ll start with 2 equations and 2 unknowns:

a11x + a12y = b1
a21x + a22y = b2

Step 1:

Write the augmented matrix and label the rows:

A a11 a12 b1
B a21 a22 b2

Step 2:

Obtain a 1 where a11 is. This requires a multiplication or division step; or, if there is a 1
directly below a11, an exchange of rows. So, multiply all the entries in row A by 1/a11 or
divide all the entries in row A by a11.

a12 b1
A 1
a11 a11

B a21 a22 b2

Now, our matrix is looking pretty ugly, so we‘ll improve its looks by re-labeling the entries:

A 1 c12 d1

B a21 a22 b2
Step 3:

We now need to get a 0 where a21 is. This requires an addition or subtraction step (similar
to our foolproof method). So, working column by column, replace row B with

( the entry from row B ) - ( a21 ) ( the entry from row A )

A 1 c12 d1
B ( a21 ) - ( a21 ) (1) ( a22 ) - ( a21 ) ( c12 ) ( b2 ) œ ( a21 ) (d1 )

Make this pretty.

A 1 c12 d1
B 0 c22 d2

Step 4:

We now need to get a 1 where c22 is. This requires a multiplication or division step. So,
multiply all the entries in row B by 1/c22 or divide all the entries in row B by c22.

A 1 c12 d1
d2
B 0 1
c 22

Make this pretty.

A 1 c12 d1

B 0 1 f2

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Step 5:

We now need to get a 0 where c12 is. We must not mess up the first column. This requires
an addition or subtraction step. So, working column by column, replace row A by

( the entry from row A ) - ( c12 ) ( the entry from row B )

A ( 1 ) - ( c12 ) (0) ( c12 ) - ( c12 ) ( 1 ) (d1 ) œ ( c12 ) (f2 )

B 0 1 f2

Make this pretty.

A 1 0 f1

B 0 1 f2

Step 6:
Interpret the matrix.

x = f1
y = f2

EXAMPLE 1

Solve: 3x + 2y = 13
4x + 3y = 18

Step 1:
Write the augmented matrix:

A 3 2 13

B 4 3 18

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Step 2:
Divide the entries in row A by 3.

A 1 2/3 13/3

B 4 3 18

Step 3:
Replace row B by (the entry from row B ) - (4) (the entry from row A )

A 1 2/3 13/3

B ( 4 ) - ( 4 ) (1) ( 3 ) - ( 4 ) ( 2/3 ) ( 18 ) œ ( 4 ) ( 13/3 )

Perform the calculations.

A 1 2/3 13/3

B 0 1/3 2/3

Step 4:
Multiply all the entries in row B by 3.

A 1 2/3 13/3

B 0 1 2

Step 5:
Replace row A by (the entry from row A ) - (2/3) ( the entry from Row B)

A ( 1 ) - ( 2/3 ) (0) ( 2/3 ) - ( 2/3 ) ( 1 ) ( 13/3 ) œ ( 2/3 ) ( 2 )

B 0 1 2

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Perform the calculations.

A 1 0 3

B 0 1 2

Step 6:
Interpret the matrix.

x = 3
y = 2

NOTE: IN THE REMAINING EXAMPLES THE STATEMENT

( the entry from row A ) - ( 2 ) ( the entry from row B)

WILL BE SHORTENED TO

A - 2B

ALL SIMILAR STATEMENTS WILL BE SIMILARLY SHORTENED

EXAMPLE 2

Solve: 5x - 2y = 16
4x + 3y = -1

Step 1:
Make the matrix

A 5 -2 16

B 4 3 -1

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Step 2:
Multiply each entry in row A by 1/5

A 1 -2/5 16/5

B 4 3 -1

Step 3:
Column by column, replace row B by B - 4A

A 1 -2/5 16/5

B ( 4 ) - ( 4 ) (1) ( 3 ) - ( 4 ) ( -2/5 ) ( -1 ) œ ( 4 ) ( 16/5 )

Perform the calculations.

A 1 -2/5 16/5

B 0 23/5 -69/5

Step 4:
Multiply each entry in row B by 5/23

A 1 -2/5 16/5

B 0 1 -3

Step 5:
Column by column, replace row A by A œ ( -2/5 ) B or A + ( 2/5 ) B

A ( 1 ) + ( 2/5 ) (0) ( -2/5 ) + ( 2/5 ) ( 1 ) ( 16/5 ) + ( 2/5) (-3)

B 0 1 -3

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Perform the calculations.

A 1 0 2

B 0 1 -3

Step 6:
Interpret the matrix.

x = 2
y = -3

EXAMPLE 3

Solve: 7x - 5y = -70
x + 3y = 16

Step 1:
Write the matrix.

A 7 -5 -70

B 1 3 16

Step 2:
Exchange rows A and B.

A 1 3 16

B 7 -5 -70

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Step 3:
Column by column, replace row B by B - 7A

A 1 3 16

B ( 7 ) - ( 7 ) (1) ( -5 ) - ( 7 ) ( 3 ) ( -70 ) œ ( 7 ) ( 16 )

Perform the calculations.

A 1 3 16

B 0 -26 -182

Step 4:
Multiply each entry in row B by -1/26

A 1 3 16

B 0 1 7

Step 5:
Column by column, replace row A by A - 3B

A ( 1 ) - ( 3 ) (0) ( 3 ) - ( 3) ( 1 ) ( 16 ) - ( 3 ) ( 7 )

B 0 1 7

Perform the calculations.

A 1 0 -5

B 0 1 7

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Step 6:
Interpret the matrix.

x = -5
y = 7

NOTE: EXAMPLES WITH 3 EQUATIONS AND 3 UNKNOWNS WILL

EXAMPLE 4

Solve: x + 5y + 7z = 20

2x - 3y + 4z = 4

3x + y - 2z = 9

Step 1:
Write the matix.

A 1 5 7 20

B 7 -3 4 4

C 3 1 -2 9

Step 2:
It is already accomplished since we have a 1 in the first column of row A.

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Step 3:
To get zeros in the first column of rows B and C, do the following replacements

Row B is replaced by B - 2A
and
Row C is replaced by C - 3A

A 1 5 7 20

B ( 2) - ( 2) ( 1 ) ( -3 ) - ( 2 ) ( 5 ) (4) - (2) (7) ( 4 ) - ( 2 ) ( 20 )

C ( 3) - ( 3 ) ( 1 ) (1) - (3) (5) ( -2) - ( 3 ) ( 7 ) ( 9 ) - ( 3 ) (20 )

Perform the calculations

A 1 5 7 20

B 0 -13 -10 -36

C 0 -1 -23 -51

Step 4:
To get a 1 in the second column of row B, multiply each entry in row B by -1/13.

A 1 5 7 20

B 0 1 10/13 36/13

C 0 -14 -23 -51

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Step 5:
To get zeros in the second column of row A and C, do the following replacements

Row A is replaced by A - 5B
and
Row C is replaced by C - ( -14 ) B = C + 14B

A (1) - (5) (0) (5) - (5) (1) (7) - (5) (10/13) (20) - (5) (36/13)

B 0 1 10/13 36/13

C (0) + (14) (0) (-14) + (14) (1) (-23) + (14) (10/13) (-51) + (14) (36/13)

Perform the calculations.

A 1 0 41/13 80/13

B 0 1 10/13 36/13

C 0 0 -159/13 -159/13

Step 6:
To get a 1 in the third column of row C, multiply row C by -13/159

A 1 0 41/13 80/13

B 0 1 10/13 36/13

C 0 0 1 1

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Step 7:
To get zeros in the third column of rows A and B, do the following replacements

Row A by A - (41/13) C
and
Row B by B - (10/13) C

A ( 1 ) - ( 41/13 ) ( 0) (0) - (41/13) (0) ( 41/13 ) - ( 41/13) (1) (80/13) - (41/13) (1)

B (0) - (10/13) (0) (1) - (10/13) (0) (10/13) - (10/13) (1) (36/13) - (10/13)(1)

C 0 0 1 1

Perform the calculations.

A 1 0 0 3

B 0 1 0 2

C 0 0 1 1

Step 8:
Interpret the matrix.

x = 3

y = 2

z = 1

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 EXAMPLE 5

Solve: 3x + 7y - 2z = 2

x - 5y + z = 13

2x + 3y - 10z = -23

Step 1:
Write the matrix.

A 3 7 -2 2

B 1 -5 1 13

C 2 3 -10 -23

Step 2:
Exchange rows A and B.

A 1 -5 1 13

B 3 7 -2 2

C 2 3 -10 -23

Step 3:
Replace row B by B - 3A
and
Row C by C - 2A

A 1 -5 1 13

B ( 3) - ( 3) ( 1 ) ( 7 ) - ( 3 ) ( -5 ) ( -2 ) - ( 3 ) ( 1 ) ( 2 ) - ( 3 ) ( 13 )

C ( 2) - ( 2 ) ( 1 ) ( 3 ) - ( 2 ) ( -5 ) ( -10) - ( 2 ) (1 ) ( -23) - ( 2 ) (13 )

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Perform the calculations.

A 1 -5 7 13

B 0 22 -5 -37

C 0 13 -12 -49

Step 4:
Multiply row B by 1/22

A 1 -5 1 13

B 0 1 -5/22 -37/22

C 0 13 -12 -49

Step 5:
Replace row A by A - (-5) B = A + 5B
and
Row C by C - 13B

A ( 1) + ( 5) ( 0 ) ( -5 ) + ( 5 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) + ( 5 ) (-5/22 ) (13) + (5) (-37/22)

B 0 1 -5/22 -37/22

C ( 0) - ( 13 ) ( 0 ) (13) - (13) (1) ( -12) - ( 13 ) (-5/22) (-49) - (13) (37/22)

Perform the calculations.

A 1 0 -3/22 101/22

B 0 1 -5/22 -37/22

C 0 0 -199/22 -597/22

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Step 6:
Multiply row C by -22/199

A 1 0 -3/22 101/22

B 0 1 -5/22 -37/22

C 0 0 1 3

Step 7:
Replace row A by A - (-3/22) C = A + ( 3/22 ) C
and
Row B by B - (-5/22)C = B + (5/22)C

A ( 1 ) + ( 3/22 ) ( 0) (0) + (3/22) (0) ( -3/22 ) + ( 3/22) (1) (101/22) + (3/22) (3)

B (0) + (5/22) (0) (1) + (5/22) (0) (-5/22) + (5/22) (1) (-37/22) + (5/22) (3)

C 0 0 1 3

Perform the calculations.

A 1 0 0 5

B 0 1 0 -1

C 0 0 1 3

Step 8:
Interpret the matrix

x = 5

y = -1

z = 3

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 EXAMPLE 6

Solve: x + 3y - 7z = -51

2x + y + 4z = 5

3x - 4y + z = 26

Step 1:
Write the matrix.

A 1 3 -7 -51

B 2 1 4 5

C 3 -4 1 26

Step 2:
Not necessary in this problem

Step 3:
Replace row B by B - 2A
and
Row C by C - 3A

A 1 3 -7 -51

B ( 2) - ( 2) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) - ( 2) ( 3 ) ( 4 ) - ( 2 ) ( -7 ) ( 5) - ( 2 ) ( -51 )

C ( 3) - ( 3 ) ( 1 ) ( -4 ) - ( 3 ) ( 3 ) ( 1) - ( 3 ) ( -7 ) (26) - (3) (-51 )

Perform the calculations.

A 1 3 -7 -51

B 0 -5 18 107

C 0 -13 22 179

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Step 4:
Multiply row B by -1/5

A 1 3 -7 -51

B 0 1 -18/5 -107/5

C 0 -13 22 179

Step 5:
Replace row A by A - 3B
and
Row C by C - (-13)B = C + 13B

A ( 1 ) - (3 ) ( 0) (3) - (3) (1) ( -7 ) - ( 3) (-18/5) (-51) - (3) (-107/5)

B 0 1 -18/5 -107/5

C (0) + (13) (0) (-13) + (13) (1) (22) + ( 13) (-18/5) (179) + (13)(-107/5)

Perform the calculations.

A 1 0 19/5 66/5

B 0 1 -18/5 -107/5

C 0 0 -124/5 -496/5

Step 6:
Multiply row C by -5/124

A 1 0 19/5 66/5

B 0 1 -18/5 -107/5

C 0 0 1 4

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Step 7:
Replaced row A by A - (19/5)C
and
Row B by B - (-18/5)C = B + (18/5) C

A ( 1 ) - ( 19/5 ) ( 0) (0) - (19/5) (0) ( 19/5 ) - ( 19/5) (1) (66/5) - (19/5) (4)

B (0) + (18/5) (0) (1) + (18/5) (0) (-18/5) + (18/5) (1) (-107/5) + (18/5) (4)

C 0 0 1 4

Perform the calculations.

A 1 0 0 -2

B 0 1 0 -7

C 0 0 1 4

Step 8:
Interpret the matrix

x = -2

y = -7

z = 4

THAT‘S ALL, FOLKS.

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