Echelon Form
All nonzero rows are above any
rows of all zeros.
Each leading entry of a row is
in a column to the right of the
leading entry of the row above
it.
All entries in a column below a
leading entry are zero.
Examples
2 3 2 1 * * *
0 1 4 8 0
* *
0 0 0 5/ 2 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
Reduced Echelon Form
The leading entry in each
nonzero row is 1.
Each leading 1 is the only
non-zero entry in its
column.
Examples
1 0 0 29 1 0 * *
0 1 0 16 , 0
1 * *
0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
Theorem
Each matrix is row equivalent
to one and only one reduced
echelon matrix
Definitions
A pivot position in a matrix A is
a location in A that corresponds
to a leading entry in an echelon
form of A.
A pivot column is a column of A
that contains a pivot position.
Example
Reduce the matrix A below to echelon
form, and locate the pivot columns
0 3 6 4 9
1 2 1 3 1
A
2 3 0 3 1
1 4 5 9 7
Solution
1 4 5 9 7
0 2 4 6 6
0 5 10 15 15
0 3 6 4 9
Solution
1 4 5 9 7
0 2 4
6 6
0 0 0 5 0
0 0 0 0 0
Echelon Form
Row Reduction Algorithm
Row Reduction Algorithm consists of
four steps, and it produces a matrix
in echelon form.
A fifth step produces a matrix in
reduced echelon form.
Row Reduction Algorithm
STEP 1
Begin with the leftmost
nonzero column. This is a
pivot column. The pivot
position is at the top.
Row Reduction Algorithm
STEP 2
Select a nonzero entry in the
pivot column as a pivot. If
necessary, interchange rows
to move this entry into the
pivot position
Row Reduction Algorithm
STEP 3
Use row operations to
create zeros in all
positions below the pivot
Row Reduction Algorithm
STEP 4
Cover (ignore) the row containing
the pivot position and cover all
rows, if any, above it
Apply steps 1 –3 to the sub-matrix,
which remains.
Repeat the process until there are
no more nonzero rows to modify
Example
0 3 6 6 4 5
3 7 8 5 8 9
3 9 12 9 6 15
Answer
x1 1 5 x3
x2 4 x3
x3 is free
Example
1 6 2 5 2 4
0 0 2 8 1 3
0 0 0 0 1 7
Reduced Echelon Form
1 6 0 3 0 0
0 0 1 4 0 5
0 0 0 0 1 7
Associated System
x1 6 x2 3 x4 0
x3 4 x4 5
x5 7
Using Row Reduction to Solve
a Linear System
Write the augmented matrix of the
system
Use the row reduction algorithm to
obtain an equivalent augmented
matrix in echelon form.
Decide whether the system is
consistent. If there is no solution,
stop; otherwise go to next step.
Continue row reduction to obtain
the reduced echelon form.
Using Row Reduction to Solve
a Linear System
Continue row reduction to obtain the
reduced echelon form.
Write the system of equations
corresponding to matrix obtained in
step 3.
Rewrite each non zero equation from
step 4 so that its one basic variable is
expressed in terms of any free
variables appearing in equation
