Cramer’s Rule
Learning Outcomes
• To learn about Cramer's rule
MCQ
Every square matrix (n by n) has an associated value
called its determinant, shown by straight vertical
brackets, such as . The determinant is a useful
measure, as you will see later in this lesson.
You can use Cramer’s rule to tell whether the
system represented by the matrix has one solution,
no solution, or infinitely many solutions.
MCQ
The system of equations 4x + 6y = 5,
8x + 12y = 10 has:
a)No solution.
b)Infinitely many solutions.
c)A unique solution.
d)None of the above
Linear Equations and Determinants
The solutions of linear equations
can sometimes be expressed using
determinants.
• To illustrate, let’s solve the following pair
of linear equations for the variable x.
ax by r
cx dy s
Linear Equations and Determinants
The numerator and denominator of the
fractions for x and y are determinants
of 2 x 2 matrices.
• So, we can express the solution of the system
using determinants as follows.
MCQ
Set which consists of more than one equation is
classified as:
a)System of variables.
b)System of equations.
c)System of constants.
d)None of the above.
MCQ
Cramer’s Rule
Using the notation
a b r b a r
D Dx Dy
c d s d c s
the solution of the system can be written
as:
Dx Dy
x and y
D D
Poll Time
Cramer’s Rule fails for ___________
a) Determinant > 0
b) Determinant < 0
c) Determinant = 0
d) Determinant = non-real
E.g. Cramer’s Rule for a System with Two Variables
Use Cramer’s Rule to solve the system.
2 x 6 y 1
x 8y 2
E.g. Cramer’s Rule for a System with Two Variables
For this system, we have:
2 6
D 2 8 6 1 10
1 8
1 6
Dx ( 1)8 6 2 20
2 8
2 1
Dy 2 2 ( 1)1 5
1 2
E.g. Cramer’s Rule for a System with Two Variables
The solution is:
Dx
20
x 2
D 10
Dy5 1
y
D 10 2
Exercise Question
A commodity was produced by using 3 units of
labour and 2 units of capital, the total cost is ₹62. If
the commodity had been produced by using 4 units
of labour and one unit of capital, the cost is ₹56.
What is the cost per unit of labour and capital?
Exercise Question
Cramer’s Rule
Cramer’s Rule can be extended to apply to any
system of n linear equations in n variables in
which the determinant of the coefficient matrix is
not zero.
Cramer’s Rule
As we saw in the preceding section, any such system can be
written in matrix form as:
a11 a12 a1n x1 b1
a a
a2 n x2 b2
21 22
an1 an 2 ann xn bn
Cramer’s Rule
By analogy with our derivation of Cramer’s Rule in
the case of two equations in two unknowns, we let:
• D be the coefficient matrix in this system.
• Dx be the matrix obtained by replacing the ith column of
i
D by the numbers b1, b2, . . . , bn
that appear to the right of the equal sign.
The solution of the system is then given by the
following rule.
Cramer’s Rule
Suppose a system of n linear equations in the n
variables x1, x2, . . . , xn is equivalent to the matrix
equation DX = B, and |D| ≠ 0.
• Then, its solutions are:
Dx1 Dx2 Dxn
x1 , x2 , ..., xn
D D D
• where Dxi is the matrix obtained by replacing
the ith column of D by the n x 1 matrix B.
E.g. Cramer’s Rule for a System of Three Variables
Use Cramer’s Rule to solve the system.
• First, we evaluate the determinants that appear
in Cramer’s Rule.
E.g. Cramer’s Rule for a System of Three Variables
• Note that D is the coefficient matrix and that Dx, Dy,
and Dz are obtained by replacing the first, second,
and third columns of D by the constant terms.
E.g. 7—Cramer’s Rule for a System of Three Variables
Now, we use Cramer’s Rule to get
the solution:
Poll Time
Cramer’s Rule is not suitable for which type
of problems?
a) Small systems with 4 unknowns
b) Systems with 2 unknowns
c) Large systems
d) Systems with 3 unknowns
Cramer’s Rule
Solving the system in Example 7 using
Gaussian elimination would involve matrices
whose elements are fractions with fairly large
denominators.
• Thus, in cases like Examples 6 and 7,
Cramer’s Rule gives us an efficient way
to solve systems of linear equations.
Limitations of Cramer’s Rule
However, in systems with more than three
equations, evaluating the various
determinants involved is usually a long and
tedious task.
• This is unless you are using a graphing
calculator.
Limitations of Cramer’s Rule
Moreover, the rule doesn’t apply if
| D | = 0 or if D is not a square matrix.
• So, Cramer’s Rule is a useful alternative
to Gaussian elimination—but only in some
situations.
