Matrix question, all zeros with constant

1.3k Views Asked by At

What does it mean if the bottom row of a matrix is all zeros followed by a constant?

Example Solve the given system of equations using either Gaussian or Gauss-Jordan elimination.

x - y + z = 0
-x + 3y + z = 5
3x + y + 7z = 2

Reduces to $\begin{bmatrix}1 & -1 & 1 & 0\\0 & 1 & 1 & 5/2\\0 & 0 &0&-8\end{bmatrix}$

What does that mean? No solution?

1

There are 1 best solutions below

0
On BEST ANSWER

In general, when you get a row consisting of all zeros, except for the last column, this means the system is inconsistent and has no solution.

This situation means that, according to this system of equations, $3*0+0+7*0=-8$, which is the reason for inconsistency mentioned above.

If the reduction had produced a zero on the fourth column, that means that $z$ is a parameter and values of $x$ and $y$ would depend on the parameter $z$. This would lead to infinite number of solutions.

One further example of this is shown here (among other many sources).

Note: I did not check that you have made the correct reduction!