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Vector Equations

Equation of linear combination of vectors with unknown coefficients. Essentially defines a linear system. For example, \(\cos(x) + \sin(y) = 0\) is NOT linear.

There three ways to think of them:

  • System of linear equations
\[ \begin{matrix} 2x_1 + 3x_2-3x_3=7\\ x_1-x_2-3x_3=5 \end{matrix} \]
  • Augmented Matrix: Representing the equation as a matrix and allowing elimination operations easily when done by hand.
    • Algorithms: Gaussian Elimination and Row Reduction.
    • To solve: All of them are methods to get augmented matrix in reduced row echelon form.
    • Reduced: Where all pivots are equal to 1, and are the only non-zero entry in the column.
\[ \left[ \begin{array}{ccc|c} 2 & 3 & -2 & 7 \\ 1 & -1 & -3 & 5 \end{array} \right] \]
  • Vector Equation
\[ x_1 \begin{pmatrix} 2\\1 \end{pmatrix} + x_2 \begin{pmatrix} 3\\-1 \end{pmatrix} + x_3 \begin{pmatrix} -2\\-3 \end{pmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix} 7\\5 \end{pmatrix} \]

A system of equation is consistent if it has a solution.
If there are no solutions, it is inconsistent.

Great References


  1. He Wang, Math 2331 Linear Algebra, Department of Mathematics Northeastern University. https://hewang.sites.northeastern.edu/math2331/ 

  2. He Wang, Math 4570 Matrix Methods in Data Analysis and Machine Learning https://hewang.sites.northeastern.edu/math4570/