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Matrices and linear systems

Solve systems of linear equations: the two-equation case and what its solutions look like geometrically, writing a system as an augmented matrix, and Gaussian elimination.

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5

lessons

38

practice questions

26

prerequisite lessons

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Lesson 01 · Solving systems of two linear equations

246−2−4−6246−2−4−6
x+y=4.0
xy=2.0
(3.0,1.0)
{x+y=4.0xy=2.0
Solution: (3.0,1.0)

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The 5 lessons

The 5 lessons in this unit. Expand any one to see what it covers. Each unlocks when its own prerequisites are passed.

01

Solving systems of two linear equations

Preview

6 questions

Learn how to represent a system of two linear equations and solve it algebraically using both the substitution and elimination methods to find the values that satisfy both equations simultaneously.

Covers

Understanding and representing systems of linear equations

Solving by substitution

Solving by elimination (addition/subtraction method)

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02

Interpreting solutions to systems of two linear equations

5 questions

Learn how to determine whether a system of two linear equations has a unique solution, no solution, or infinitely many solutions by analysing the relationships between their coefficients and interpreting the geometric meaning of each case.

Covers

Interpreting solutions - unique, infinite, and no solution cases

03

Writing systems of equations as augmented matrices

9 questions

Learn how to rewrite a system of linear equations as a matrix equation and as an augmented matrix, and how to convert between augmented matrices and their corresponding systems of equations by matching coefficients and constants to variables in a consistent order.

Covers

From equations to matrix-vector form

Constructing the augmented matrix for a system

Interpreting an augmented matrix as a system of equations

04

Gaussian elimination I: forward elimination

9 questions

Learn how to use elementary row operations to systematically transform an augmented matrix into row echelon form via forward elimination, laying the groundwork for solving systems of linear equations by back substitution.

Covers

Row operations

Row echelon form and row operations

Forward elimination to achieve row echelon form

05

Gaussian elimination II: back substitution and solution types

9 questions

Learn how to use Gaussian elimination by combining forward elimination and back substitution to solve systems of linear equations, and determine whether a system has a unique solution, infinitely many solutions, or no solution from the row echelon form.

Covers

Back substitution from row echelon form

Recognising unique, infinite, and no solutions

Gaussian elimination (forward elimination + back substitution)

Where this unit sits in the curriculum

This unit is part of our Essential Linear Algebra for ML learning path, which contains 61 lessons. Every one of them is drawn below.

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Every dot is a lesson and every line a prerequisite. The 5 red dots are the lessons in Matrices and linear systems; the 26 blue dots feeding into them are the lessons Matrices and linear systems depends on; the 30 pale dots are the rest of the learning path, which come after Matrices and linear systems or alongside it.Matrices and linear systemsFirst lessons on the left61 lessons

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5 lessons in this unit

26 prerequisite lessons across the unit, counting every step back to the start

30 other lessons in the learning path - after this unit, or alongside it

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More in Linear algebra: Vectors in Euclidean space, Matrices, Matrix transformations, Eigenvalues, eigenvectors and singular value decomposition