How do you solve x - 2y = 5x2y=5 and 2x - 3y = 102x3y=10 using matrices?

1 Answer
Apr 5, 2016

Given
color(white)("XXX") x-2y=5XXXx2y=5
color(white)("XXX") 2x-3y=10XXX2x3y=10

Re-writing as augmented matrix:
color(white)("XXX") [(1,-2,5),(2,-3,10)]color(white)("XXX"){:([1]),([2]):}

Subtracting 2 times the first row from the second row:
color(white)("XXX") [(1,-2,5),(0,1,0)]color(white)("XXX"){:([1]),([3]=[2]-2xx[1]):}

Adding 2 times row [3] to the first row:
color(white)("XXX") [(1,0,5),(0,1,0)]color(white)("XXX"){:([4]),([3]=[1]+2xx[3]):}

Re-writing with variables:
color(white)("XXX")x=5
color(white)("XXX")y=0