CUHK MATH1030

2024-2025 Term 2
Extra Ex 2
Last updated: February 12, 2025
Notation: LS(A, b) is a system of linear equations with A as the matrix coefficient
and b is the vector of constant, i.e. a system of linear equations with augmented matrix
[A|b].
Questions
1. For the following system of linear equations.
x1 + 2x2 + x4 =1
x1 − 2x2 +x3 −x5 = 3 (1)
2x1 − 4x2 +x3 + x4 +2x5 = 5

(a) Write down the effect of the following row operations to the above system of
linear equations
i. Apply equation 1 ↔ equation 3 to (1).
ii. Apply 3×equation 2 to (1).
iii. Apply −2×equation 2 + equation 3 to (1).
(b) Other than those obtained from the pervious part, write one system of linear
equations equivalent to (1).
Answer.
(a) Denote the first, second and third equations of S by 1 , 2 and 3 respectively.
i. Applying 1 ↔ 3 to S yields:
2x1 − 4x2 + x3 + x4 + 2x5 = 5
x1 − 2x2 + x3 − x5 = 3
x1 + 2x2 + x4 =1
ii. Applying 3 2 to S yields:
x1 + 2x2 + x4 =1
3x1 − 6x2 + 3x3 − 3x5 = 9
2x1 − 4x2 + x3 + x4 + 2x5 = 5
iii. Applying −2 2 + 3 yields:
x1 + 2x2 + x4 =1
x1 − 2x2 + x3 − x5 = 3
− x3 + x4 + 4x5 = −1

(b) A system of linear equations equivalent to S is given by 1 ↔ 2 :

x1 − 2x2 + x3 − x5 = 3
x1 + 2x2 + x4 =1
2x1 − 4x2 + x3 + x4 + 2x5 = 5

1
 
2. (a) Let    
1 2 3 4 1
A = 2 −1 3
 1  b = 2 .

3 −5 −1 −2 3
Write down the system of linear equations LS(A, b), i.e. write down a system
of linear equation with coefficient matrix A and vector of constants b.
(b) Write down the system of linear equations with augmented matrix
 
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10
 
−1 −2 1 2 3 
1 1 1 1 2

Answer.
(a)
x1 + 2x2 + 3x3 + 4x4 = 1
2x1 − x2 + 3x3 + x4 = 2
3x1 − 5x2 − x3 − 2x4 = 3
(b)
x1 + 2x2 + 3x3 + 4x4 =5
6x1 + 7x2 + 8x3 + 9x4 = 10
−x1 − 2x2 − x3 + 2x4 =3
x1 + x2 + x3 + x4 =2

3. For the following system of linear equations
x1 + x2 + 2x5 =3
x3 + x4 + 5x5 =4
2x1 + 2x2 + x4 + 5x5 =9
−3x1 − 3x2 + x3 + 3x4 + x5 =1

(a) Write down the coefficient matrix A, vector of constants b and the augmented
matrix.
(b) Solve the system of linear equations by applying row operations on the aug-
mented matrix. State your steps clearly (example 2R2 + R1 ).
Answer.
     
1 1 0 0 2 3 1 1 0 0 2 3
0 0 1 1 5
, b = 4 , the augmented matrix = 0 0 1 1 5 4 
  
(a) A = 
2

2 0 1 5 9  2 2 0 1 5 9 
−3 −3 1 3 1 1 −3 −3 1 3 1 1

2
 (b)
 
1 1 0 0 2 3
 0 0 1 1 5 4 
 
 2 2 0 1 5 9 
−3 −3 1 3 1 1
 
1 1 0 0 2 3
−2R +R3  0 0 1
 1 5 4 
−−−1−−→ 
3R1 +R4  0 0 0 1 1 3 
0 0 1 3 7 10
 
1 1 0 0 2 3
−R +R4  0 0 1
 1 5 4 
−−−2−−→ 
−2R3 +R4  0 0 0 1 1 3 
0 0 0 0 0 0
 
1 1 0 0 2 3
−R3 +R2  0 0 1 0 4 1 
−−−−−→   0 0 0

1 1 3 
0 0 0 0 0 0

The above matrix corresponds to the following linear system:

x1 + x2 + 2x5 = 3
x3 + 4x5 = 1
x4 + x5 = 3
We can express x1 , x3 , x4 in terms of x2 , x5 :
x1 = 3 − x2 − 2x5
x3 = 1 − 4x5
x 4 = 3 − x5

Therefore, the solution set is

  

 3 − x 2 − 2x 5 

x
 
2

  

 
 1 − 4x5  x2 , x5 real numbers
 


  3 − x5  


 
 x5 


4. Let S1 and S2 be two systems of linear equations.
(a) Define S1 being equivalent to S2 .
(b) Suppose the solution set of S1 is {(3, 4)} and S1 is equivalent to S2 . Find one
possible S2 .
(c) Suppose the solution set of S1 is {(s, −s, −2s) | s real numbers} and S1 is equiv-
alent to S2 . Find one possible S2 .
Hint: Find some possible a, b, c such that a(s) + b(−s) + c(−2s) = 0.

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(d) Suppose the solution set of S1 is {(1 + s, 2 − s, 3 − 2s) | s real numbers} and S1
is equivalent to S2 . Find one possible S2 .
Hint: Find some possible a, b, c, d such that a(1 + s) + b(2 − s) + c(3 − 2s) = d
by comparing the coefficient of s.
Answer.
(a) S1 is said to be equivalent to S2 if they have the same solution set.
(b) A possible S2 is given by
x1 = 3
x2 = 4

(c) Our strategy is to find some (a, b, c) such that a(s) + b(−s) + c(−2s) = 0 is an
identity in real variable s. By comparing coefficient on both sides, we get an
equation
a − b − 2c = 0
Changing the subject of the above equation, we have a new equation a = b+2c.
Let b = r and c = t, where r, t are real numbers. By the new equation, we find
that the equation (2) has solution set {(r + 2t, r, t) | r, t real numbers}.
In particular, (1+2(0), 1, 0) = (1, 1, 0) and (0+2(1), 0, 1) = (2, 0, 1) are possible
choices of a, b, c. . Now we set up a system of linear equations
x1 + x2 = 0
(2)
2x1 + x3 = 0
Solve the above system of linear equations, we have
x2 = −x1 , x3 = −2x1 .
Write x1 = s. The solution set is given by
{(s, −s, −2s) | s real numbers }.

(d) Our strategy is to find some (a, b, c, d) such that a(1+s)+b(2−s)+c(3−2s) = d

is an identity in real variable s. By comparing coefficient on both sides, we get
a system of equations
a − b − 2c = 0
(3)
a + 2b + 3c = d
Changing the subject of equation 1, we have a = b + 2c. Let this be equation
3.
Substituting equation 3 into equation 2, we have 3b + 5c = d. Changing the
subject of the equation 3b + 5c = d, we have d = 3b + 5c.
For example, we take b = 1, c = 0, then a = b + 2c = 1, d = 3b + 5c = 3.
Another example, we take b = 0, c = 1, then a = b + 2c = 2, d = 3b + 5c = 5.
Use these two sets of a, b, c, d, we set up a system of linear equations.

x1 + x2 = 3
(4)
2x1 + x3 = 5

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 Solving the above system of linear equation,
x2 = 3 − x1 , x3 = 5 − 2x1 .
Let x1 = s + 1. Then
x2 = 3 − (s + 1) = 2 − s, x3 = 5 − 2(s + 1) = 3 − 2s.
So the solution set is given by
{(s + 1, 2 − s, 3 − 2s) | s real number}.


5. Prove that if a system of linear equations has two distinct solutions, then it has
infinitely many solutions. Hint: Use Lecture 3, Theorem 3.
Answer. By Theorem 3 in lecture note 3, solution set of any system of linear equa-
tions can only have three possibilities: a unique solution, no solution or infinitely
many solutions.
In our case, since there exists 2 distinct solutions for this system, the former two
possibilities of the above theorem are rejected. Therefore, it must be the case that
this system has infinitely many solutions. 
6. Consider the following system of linear equations:

ax + y + bz = 1

(∗) : x + ay + bz = 1

x + y + abz = b

where a, b are some real numbers.

(a) Solve the system (∗) when a 6= −2, a 6= 1 and b 6= 0.
(b) For each of the following cases, determine the value(s) of b so that (∗) has
solutions; solve the system when it has solutions.
i. a = 1,
ii. a = −2.
(c) What can you say about the system (∗) when b = 0?
Answer.
(a) We solve by backward substitution. Consider the augmented matrix for the
system:
     
a 1 b 1 1 1 ab b 1 1 ab b
R1 ↔R3 −1R1 +R2
1 a b 1 − −−−→ 1 a b 1 −−−− −−→ . 0 a − 1 b − ab 1 − b 
−aR1 +R3
1 1 ab b a 1 b 1 0 1 − a b − a2 b 1 − ab
   
1 1 ab b 1 1 ab b
R +R3
−−2−−→ 0 a − 1 b − ab 1 − b  = 0 a − 1 b(1 − a) 1−b 
2
0 0 2b − ab − a b 2 − b − ab 0 0 b(1 − a)(a + 2) 2 − b − ab
From the third row,
b(1 − a)(a + 2)z = 2 − b − ab.

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 Since a 6= −2, a 6= 1 and b 6= 0,
2 − b − ab −2 + b + ab
z= = .
b(1 − a)(a + 2) b(a − 1)(a + 2)
From the second row,
(a − 1)y + b(1 − a)z = 1 − b.

Since a 6= 1,
1 − b − b(1 − a)z a−b
y= = .
(a − 1) (a − 1)(2 + a)
From the first row,
x + y + abz = b,
a−b
x = b − y − abz = .
(a − 1)(2 + a)
(b) i. For a = 1, consider the augmented matrix for the system:
   
1 1 b 1 1 1 b 1
−R +R3
1 1 b 1 −−−2−−→ 1 1 b 1 
1 1 b b 0 0 0 b−1

The system is has solutions if and only if b − 1 = 0, i.e., b = 1.

1−y−z
The solution set in this case is { y  | y, z ∈ R}.
z
ii. For a = −2, consider the augmented matrix for the system:
   
−2 1 b 1 1 1 −2b b
R1 ↔R3
 1 −2 b 1 − −−−→  1 −2 b 1
1 1 −2b b −2 1 b 1
   
1 1 −2b b 1 1 −2b b
−R +R2 R2 +R3
−−−1−−→ 0 −3 3b 1 − b  − −−−→ 0 −3 3b 1 − b
2R1 +R3
0 3 −3b 2b + 1 0 0 0 b+2
The system is has solution if and only if b + 2 = 0, i.e., b = −2.
For b = −2, from the second row, we obtain :
−3y − 6z = 3,

y = −1 − 2z.
From the first row, we obtain :
x + y + 4z = −2,

x = −2 − 4z − y = −1 − 2z.
 
−1 − 2z
Thus the solution set in this case is {−1 − 2z  | z ∈ R}.
z

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 (c) When b = 0, the augmented matrix for the system becomes :
     
a 1 0 1 a 1 0 1 a 1 0 1
R1 +R2 −(a+1)R3 +R2
 1 a 0 1 − −−−→ a + 1 a + 1 0
 2 −−−−−−−−→ 0 0 0 2
1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0
From the second row, the corresponding equation is 0 = 2, thus the system has
no solution.

7. Let S be the system of linear equations
a11 x1 + a12 x2 + a13 x3 + · · · + a1n xn = b1
a21 x1 + a22 x2 + a23 x3 + · · · + a2n xn = b2
a31 x1 + a32 x2 + a33 x3 + · · · + a3n xn = b3
..
.
am1 x1 + am2 x2 + am3 x3 + · · · + amn xn = bm
and S 0 be the system of linear equations
a011 x1 + a012 x2 + a013 x3 + · · · + a01n xn = b01
a021 x1 + a022 x2 + a023 x3 + · · · + a02n xn = b02
a031 x1 + a032 x2 + a033 x3 + · · · + a03n xn = b03
..
.
0 0 0 0
am1 x1 + am2 x2 + am3 x3 + · · · + amn xn = b0m
(a) Suppose S can be transformed to S 0 by a sequence of equation operations and
a11 = a21 = · · · = am1 = 0. Show that a011 = a021 = · · · = a0m1 = 0.
(b) Find S and S 0 such that S and S 0 are equivalent but S cannot be transformed
to S 0 by a sequence of equation operations.
Hint Find systems of linear equations with solution set empty.
Answer.
(a) We first show that the conclusion holds for any single equation operation:
1) Swapping equations: Suppose the i th equation has swapped with the j th
equation, then we have
a0i1 = aj1 = 0
a0j1 = ai1 = 0
a0k1 = ak1 = 0
for k 6= i, j.
2) Multiplying each term of an equation by a nonzero quantity: Suppose all
the terms in the i th equation has been multiplied by a nonzero number λ,
then we have
a0i1 = λai1 = 0
a0j1 = aj1 = 0

for j 6= i.

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 3) Multiplying each term of an equation by some quantity and then add then
to another equation: Suppose all the terms in the i th equation has been
multiplied by a number λ, and then add them to the j th equation , then
we have
a0i1 = ai1 = 0
a0j1 = λai1 + aj1 = 0
a0k1 = ak1 = 0
for k 6= i, j.
Therefore, the conclusion holds for any single equation operation.
Now for any sequence of equation operations transforming S to S 0 , since S 0
is obtained by successively transforming the intermediate systems by a single
equation operation, and we have checked that the conclusion holds true for any
intermediate systems, we still have a011 = a021 = · · · = a0m1 = 0.
(b) Let S be the following system of linear equations:
0 · x1 + x2 + x3 = 1
0 · x1 + x2 + x3 = 2
and let S 0 be the following system of linear equations:
x1 + x2 + x3 = 1
x1 + x2 + x3 = 2
Clearly, both S and S 0 have no solution. Therefore, their solution sets are
empty, and hence S and S 0 are equivalent; However, since a11 = 0; a21 = 0 for
S and a011 = 1 6= 0; a021 = 1 6= 0 for S 0 , by (a), S cannot be transformed to S 0
by a sequence of equation operations.

8. Let S1 and S2 be two systems of linear equations.
(a) If S1 → S2 by equation i ↔ equation j, write down an equation operation that
can transform S2 to S1
(b) If S1 → S2 by α×equation i, α 6= 0. write down an equation operation that
can transform S2 to S1
(c) If S1 → S2 by α×equation i + equation j, write down an equation operation
that can transform S2 to S1
(d) Suppose S1 can be transformed to S2 by the following sequence of equation
operations,
1) −2×equation 2 + equation 1
2) then 3×equation 2
3) then equation 1 ↔ equation 3
4) and then 5×equation 3 + equation 2.
Write down a sequence of equation operations that can transform S2 to S1 .
(e) Show that if S1 can be transformed to S2 by a sequence of equation operations,
then S2 can be transformed to S1 by a sequence of equation operations.

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Answer.
(a) Equation j ↔ equation i.
(b) 1/α×equation i, α 6= 0.
(c) −α×equation i + equation j.
(d) 1) -5×equation 3 + equation 2.
2) then equation 1 ↔ equation 3
3) then 1/3×equation 2
4) and then 2×equation 2 + equation 1
(e) Suppose S1 is transformed to S2 by r equation operations, denoted by op1 , op2 , . . . , opr ,
starting from op1 and to opr . Then by (a),(b),(c), for each 1 ≤ i ≤ r, opi has
an ”inverse equation operation, denoted by op0i , such that Doing equation op-
eration opi followed by E 0 (i) will not change the linear system.
Under this notation, we can see that S2 can be transformed to S1 by r equation
operations, denoted by op0r , op0r−1 , ...op01 , starting from op0r to op01 .