Example 1: Solve the given system of equations.
x1−4x1−+2x22x25x2+−+x38x39x3===009.
Solution 1: We turn the system into an augmented matrix.
10−4−2251−89089
Add 4 times the first row to the third row.
100−22−31−813089
Add the second row to the first row.
10002−3−7−813889
Divide the second row by 2.
10001−3−7−413849
Add 3 times the second row to the third row.
100010−7−418421
Add 7 times the third row to the first row and add 4 times the third row to the second row.
1000100011558821
This gives the solution
x1=155,x2=88,x3=21.
Example 2: Determine if the following system is consistent.
2x15x1−−x23x28x2−++4x32x37x3===811.
Solution 2: First we write down the augmented matrix.
0251−3−8−427811
Interchange the first row and the second row because we want to obtain x1 in the first equation.
205−31−82−47181
Add -5/2 times row 1 to row 3.
200−31−1/22−4218−3/2
Add 1/2 times row 2 to row 3.
200−3102−40185/2
The last row in the augmented matrix says 0=5/2 which is impossible. Therefore the original system is inconsistent, i.e., has no solution.