We will apply the strategy from a previous exercise to solve the given .
⎩⎪⎪⎨⎪⎪⎧x+y+z=1x−y−z=3-x−y+z=-1(I)(II)(III)
Our strategy consists of four steps.
- Isolate either in any of the equations.
- In the other equations, substitute the expression obtained in the first step for the variable. In this way we will get a system of two linear equations in two variables.
- Solve the 2×2 system.
- Substitute the obtained values for the corresponding variables in the equation obtained in the first step, and solve for the remaining variable.
Let's do it!
Step 1
For simplicity, we will start by isolating the
x-variable in Equation (I).
⎩⎪⎪⎨⎪⎪⎧x+y+z=1x−y−z=3-x−y+z=-1(I)(II)(III)
⎩⎪⎪⎨⎪⎪⎧x=1−y−zx−y−z=3-x−y+z=-1
Step 2
Now in Equation (II) and Equation (III) we will substitute the obtained expression,
1−y−z, for
x.
⎩⎪⎪⎨⎪⎪⎧x=1−y−zx−y−z=3-x−y+z=-1(I)(II)(III)
⎩⎪⎪⎨⎪⎪⎧x=1−y−z1−y−z−y−z=3-(1−y−z)−y+z=-1
⎩⎪⎪⎨⎪⎪⎧x=1−y−z-y−z−y−z=2-(1−y−z)−y+z=-1
⎩⎪⎪⎨⎪⎪⎧x=1−y−z-y−z−y−z=2-1+y+z−y+z=-1
⎩⎪⎪⎨⎪⎪⎧x=1−y−z-y−z−y−z=2y+z−y+z=0
(II), (III): Add and subtract terms
⎩⎪⎪⎨⎪⎪⎧x=1−y−z-2y−2z=22z=0
Note that now Equation (II) and Equation (III) form a system of
two equations in
two variables.
{-2y−2z=2(II)2z=0 (III)
Step 3
Let's now solve the obtained
2×2 system. We will start by solving Equation (III), since it only contains one variable.
{-2y−2z=2(II)2z=0 (III)
{-2y−2z=2z=0
We found that
z=0. To find the value of
y, we will substitute
0 for
z in Equation (II).
{-2y−2z=2(II)z=0(III)
{-2y−2(0)=2z=0
{y=-1z=0
We found that
y=-1.
Step 4
Finally, we will substitute
-1 and
0 for
y and
z, respectively, in Equation (I). Then, we will solve for the remaining variable,
x.
⎩⎪⎪⎨⎪⎪⎧x=1−y−zy=-1z=0(I)(II)(III)
⎩⎪⎪⎨⎪⎪⎧x=1−(-1)−0y=-1z=0
▼
(I): Simplify right-hand side
⎩⎪⎪⎨⎪⎪⎧x=2y=-1z=0