Solution(s) to four variable Equation with Explanation

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We have a system of equations for variables A, x, y, and z, where A is a constant.

$x + y = Az$,

$z + x = Ay$,

$y + z = Ax$.

Obviously, this system of equations is unsolvable if there were no coefficient A, but with the introduction of this coefficient I am aware that there may be multiple solutions, if there are any. If there are multiple, how can they be expressed? And if there are none, why?

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Adding these equations together, we get

$$2x+2y+2z = A(x+y+z)$$

From this we either get that $A=2$ or $x+y+z=0$. In the first case:

$$z+x=2y$$

$$z = 2y-x$$

and from the first equation:

$$x+y = 2z = 2(2y-x)$$

$$x+y = 4y-2x$$

$$3x = 3y$$

$$x = y$$

A similar process can be used to show that $x=z$, so if $A=2, x=y=z$, and it is easy to verify that any $x=y=z$ works with $A=2$. In the second case:

$$x+y+z=0$$

$$z = -x-y$$

$$x+y = A(-x-y)$$

$$(x+y)(A+1) = 0$$

$$x+y = 0$$

OR

$$A = -1$$

If $x+y = 0$:

$$y = -x$$

$$z = 0$$

but then

$$0+x = A(-x)$$

and $x = 0$ or $A=-1$, so $x=y=z=0$ and $A$ is any real number is also one solution. If $A=-1$, we can easily verify that any $x, y, z$ so that $x+y+z=0$ works, providing a complete characterization of solutions. In summary:

  1. $A = 2, x=y=z$

  2. $x=y=z=0$

  3. $A = -1, x+y+z=0$