Geometrical Representation of Linear System in two variables

Inconsistent Linear System:

If the linear system has no solution, then it is said to be an inconsistent linear system.
Consistent Linear System:
If the linear system has a solution, then it is said to be a consistent linear system.

Note:
• A consistent linear system of two equations in two unknowns has either one
solution or infinitely many solutions -- there are no other possibilities.
EXAMPLE 1 A Linear System with No Solutions

Solve the linear system

𝑥+𝑦 =4
{
3𝑥 + 3𝑦 = 6

Solution: Check yourself --------- 0 = 6.

This is not possible, so the given system has no solution. Hence, it is an inconsistent
linear system.
Geometrically, this means that the lines corresponding to the equations in the original
system are parallel and distinct.

EXAMPLE 2 A Linear System with One Solution

Solve the linear system

𝑥−𝑦 =1
{
2𝑥 + 𝑦 = 6
𝟕 𝟒
Solution: Verify that the system has the one solution (unique solution) 𝒙 = 𝟑 , 𝒚 = 𝟑 . So,
𝟕 𝟒
(𝒙, 𝒚) = ( , ). Hence, the given system is a consistent linear system.
𝟑 𝟑
Geometrically, this means that the lines corresponding to the equations in the original
system are intersecting at a single point.

EXAMPLE 3 A Linear System with Infinitely many Solutions

Solve the linear system

𝟒𝒙 − 𝟐𝒚 = 𝟏
{
𝟏𝟔𝒙 − 𝟖𝒚 = 𝟒

Solution: The solutions of the system are those values of 𝒙 and 𝒚 that satisfy the single
equation. Let 𝒚 = 𝒕, so
𝟏 𝟏
𝒙= + 𝒕
𝟒 𝟐
𝟏 𝟏
Hence, (𝒙, 𝒚) = ( + 𝒕, 𝒕) , 𝒕 ∈ ℝ is solution of given system. Hence, the given system
𝟒 𝟐

is a consistent linear system, since it has infinitely many solutions.

Geometrically, this means that the lines corresponding to the equations in the original
system are coincident lines.
Note:
We can obtain specific numerical solutions for different values of 𝒕. If 𝒕 = 𝟎, yields the
1 𝟑
solution ( , 0). Similarly, 𝒕 = 𝟏 yields the solution ( , 𝟏).
4 𝟒

Note:

Equally-Determined System:
If

No. of Equations = No. of variables or Rank of the matrix

then the system is known as Equally-determined system.

Example:

Consider the system below

𝒂 𝟏 𝒙 + 𝒃𝟏 𝒚 = 𝒅𝟏
{
𝒂 𝟐 𝒙 + 𝒃𝟐 𝒚 = 𝒅𝟐

In the given system, we can observe that we have two equations with two variables 𝒙 and
𝒚.

Under-Determined System:

If

No. of Equations < No. of variables or Rank of the matrix

then the system is known as under-determined system.

Example:

Consider the system below

𝒂𝟏 𝒙 + 𝒃𝟏 𝒚 + 𝒄𝟏 𝒛 = 𝒅𝟏
{
𝒂𝟐 𝒙 + 𝒃𝟐 𝒚 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒛 = 𝒅𝟐
In the given system, we can observe that we have two equations with three variables 𝒙, 𝒚
and 𝒛.

Over-Determined System:

If

No. of Equations > No. of variables or Rank of the matrix

then the system is known as over-determined system.

Example:

Consider the system below

𝒂 𝟏 𝒙 + 𝒃𝟏 𝒚 = 𝒅𝟏
{𝒂 𝟏 𝒙 + 𝒃𝟏 𝒚 = 𝒅𝟐
𝒂 𝟐 𝒙 + 𝒃𝟐 𝒚 = 𝒅𝟐

In the given system, we can observe that we have two equations with three variables 𝒙, 𝒚
and 𝒛.
 Geometrical Representation of Linear System in three variables

Consider a linear system of three equations in three unknowns

𝑎1 𝑥 + 𝑏1 𝑦 + 𝑐1 𝑧 = 𝑑1
{𝑎2 𝑥 + 𝑏2 𝑦 + 𝑐2 𝑧 = 𝑑2
𝑎3 𝑥 + 𝑏3 𝑦 + 𝑐3 𝑧 = 𝑑3
in which the graphs of the equations are planes. The solutions of the system, if any,
correspond to points where all three planes intersect, so again we see that there are only
three possibilities.
1) No solution
2) One solution
3) Infinitely many solutions

Important Note:
Every system of linear equations has no solution, one solution, or infinitely many
solutions. There are no other possibilities.
 EXAMPLE 4 Solve the linear system
𝑥 + 𝑦 + 2𝑧 = 9 − − − − − − − − − (1)
{ 2𝑥 + 4𝑦 − 3𝑧 = 1 − − − − − − − −(2)
3𝑥 + 6𝑦 − 5𝑧 = 0 − − − − − − − −(3)
Solution:
Using equation (1) and equation (2)
2𝑥 + 2𝑦 + 4𝑧 = 18
+2𝑥 + 4𝑦 − 3𝑧 = 1
- - + -
------------------------------------------------------
−2𝑦 + 7𝑧 = 17 ⇢ (4)
Using equation (1) and equation (3)

3𝑥 + 3𝑦 + 6𝑧 = 27
+3𝑥 + 6𝑦 − 5𝑧 = 0
- - + -
------------------------------------------------------
−3𝑦 + 11𝑧 = 27 ⇢ (5)
Using equation (4) and equation (5)
−6𝑦 + 21𝑧 = 51
−6𝑦 + 22𝑧 = 54
+ - -
------------------------------------------------------
−𝑧 = −3
𝒛=𝟑
Put 𝒛 = 𝟑 in equation (4)
−2𝑦 + 7(3) = 17
−2𝑦 + 2 = 17
𝒚=𝟐

Put 𝒚 = 𝟐 and 𝒛 = 𝟑 in equation (1).

𝑥 = 9 − 2 − 2(3)
𝒙=𝟏
So, the solution of given system is (𝒙, 𝒚, 𝒛) = (𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑), which is unique. So, it has one
solution. Geometrically, it represents that the three planes intersect at a unique point.
EXAMPLE 5

Solve the linear system

𝑥 − 𝑦 + 2𝑧 = 5
{2𝑥 − 2𝑦 + 4𝑧 = 10
3𝑥 − 3𝑦 + 6𝑧 = 15
Solution:
This system can be solved by inspection, since the second and third equations are multiples
of the first. Geometrically, this means that the three planes coincide and that those values
of x, y, and z that satisfy the equation
𝒙 − 𝒚 + 𝟐𝒛 = 𝟓 − − − − − − − − (𝟏)
Automatically satisfy all three equations. Thus, it suffices to find the solutions of equation
(1). We can do this by first solving equation (1) for 𝒙 in terms of 𝒚 and 𝒛, then assigning
arbitrary values 𝒔 and 𝒕 (parameters) to these two variables
𝒚 = 𝒕, 𝒛=𝒔
and then expressing the solution by the three parametric equations implies that
𝒙 = 𝟓 + 𝒕 − 𝟐𝒔
So (𝒙, 𝒚, 𝒛) = (𝟓 + 𝒕 − 𝟐𝒔, 𝒕, 𝒔) is the solution of the above consistent linear system.

Note:
Specific solutions can be obtained by choosing numerical values for the parameters 𝒕 and
𝒔. For example, taking 𝒕 = 𝟏 and 𝒔 = 𝟎 yields the solution (𝒙, 𝒚, 𝒛) = (𝟔, 𝟏, 𝟎).
 Use of GeoGebra Software for visualization of solutions and
geometry
To open GeoGebra Software online, Click Here

Work to do

Q. Solve the following linear system of equations:

2𝑥 + 4𝑦 + 6𝑧 = −12
{ 2𝑥 − 3𝑦 − 4𝑧 = 15
3𝑥 + 4𝑦 + 5𝑧 = −8

Exercise 1.1 [Elementary Linear Algebra with Applications by Howard Anton]

Questions 6-14
9. In each part, find the solution set of the linear equation by using parameters as
necessary.
a) 7𝑥 − 5𝑦 = 3
b) −8𝑥1 + 2𝑥2 − 5𝑥3 + 6𝑥4 = 1
 Homogeneous Linear System
A system of linear equations is said to be a homogeneous linear system, if its constant
term is equal to zero. For example
𝟑𝒙 + 𝟒𝒚 = 𝟎
{
−𝟐𝒙 + 𝟓𝒚 = 𝟎

❖ Every system of linear equations is consistent because all such systems have
𝒙 = 𝟎, 𝒚 = 𝟎
as a solution. This solution is called trivial solution.
❖ If there are other solutions, they are called non trivial solutions (infinite many
solutions).

❖ A homogenous system always has the trivial solution. There are only two
possibilities for its solutions:
For a homogeneous system of linear equations, having non-trivial solution:
• The rank of the matrix 𝝆(𝑨) should be less than the number of variables. OR
• The determinant of a matrix should be equal to zero.

Practice Questions for Students

Q. In each part, find the augmented matrix for the given system of linear equations.

3𝑥1 − 2𝑥2 = −1
a) { 4𝑥1 + 5𝑥2 = 3
7𝑥1 + 3𝑥2 = 2

2𝑥1 + 2𝑥3 = 1
b) {3𝑥1 − 𝑥2 + 4𝑥3 = 7
6𝑥1 + 𝑥2 − 𝑥3 = 0

𝑥1 + 2𝑥2 − 𝑥4 + 𝑥5 = 1
c) { 3𝑥2 + 𝑥3 − 𝑥5 = 2
𝑥3 + 7𝑥4 = 1

𝑥1 = 1
d) { 𝑥2 = 2
𝑥3 = 3

Q. In parts (I)–(VIII), determine whether the statement is true or false, justify your
answer.
I. A linear system whose equations are all homogeneous must be consistent.
II. Multiplying a linear equation through by zero is an acceptable elementary row
operation.
III. The linear system
𝑥−𝑦 =3
{
2𝑥 − 2𝑦 = 𝑘
cannot have a unique solution, regardless of the value of 𝒌.
IV. A single linear equation with two or more unknowns must always have infinitely
many solutions.
 V. If the number of equations in a linear system exceeds the number of unknowns,
then the system must be inconsistent.
VI. If each equation in a consistent linear system is multiplied through by a constant 𝒄,
then all solutions to the new system can be obtained by multiplying solutions from
the original system by 𝒄.
VII. Elementary row operations permit one equation in a linear system to be subtracted
from another.
𝟐 −𝟏 𝟒
VIII. The linear system with corresponding augmented matrix ( | ) is
𝟎 𝟎 −𝟏
consistent.