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A First Course in Linear Algebra, 2017a

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3.2. Applications of the Determ<strong>in</strong>ant 135<br />

where here the i th column of A is replaced with the column vector [b 1 ····,b n ] T . The determ<strong>in</strong>ant of this<br />

modified matrix is taken and divided by det(A). This formula is known as Cramer’s rule.<br />

We formally def<strong>in</strong>e this method now.<br />

Procedure 3.44: Us<strong>in</strong>g Cramer’s Rule<br />

Suppose A is an n × n <strong>in</strong>vertible matrix and we wish to solve the system AX = B for X =<br />

[x 1 ,···,x n ] T . Then Cramer’s rule says<br />

x i = det(A i)<br />

det(A)<br />

where A i is the matrix obta<strong>in</strong>ed by replac<strong>in</strong>g the i th column of A with the column matrix<br />

⎡ ⎤<br />

b 1<br />

⎢<br />

B = . ⎥<br />

⎣ .. ⎦<br />

b n<br />

We illustrate this procedure <strong>in</strong> the follow<strong>in</strong>g example.<br />

Example 3.45: Us<strong>in</strong>g Cramer’s Rule<br />

F<strong>in</strong>d x,y,z if<br />

⎡<br />

⎣<br />

1 2 1<br />

3 2 1<br />

2 −3 2<br />

⎤⎡<br />

⎦⎣<br />

x<br />

y<br />

z<br />

⎤<br />

⎡<br />

⎦ = ⎣<br />

1<br />

2<br />

3<br />

⎤<br />

⎦<br />

Solution. We will use method outl<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> Procedure 3.44 to f<strong>in</strong>d the values for x,y,z which give the solution<br />

to this system. Let<br />

⎡ ⎤<br />

1<br />

B = ⎣ 2 ⎦<br />

3<br />

In order to f<strong>in</strong>d x, we calculate<br />

x = det(A 1)<br />

det(A)<br />

where A 1 is the matrix obta<strong>in</strong>ed from replac<strong>in</strong>g the first column of A with B.<br />

Hence, A 1 is given by<br />

⎡ ⎤<br />

1 2 1<br />

A 1 = ⎣ 2 2 1 ⎦<br />

3 −3 2

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