Matrices - Equation In Matrix Form

Equation in Matrix Form

Definition, Representation, and Applications

A system of linear equations can be expressed in matrix form using the structure \( AX = B \), where \( A \) is the coefficient matrix, \( X \) is the variable matrix, and \( B \) is the constants matrix. This format is efficient for solving systems of equations using matrix operations.

Matrix Form Conversion

\[ \begin{pmatrix} a_1 x + b_1 y \\ a_2 x + b_2 y \end{pmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix} c_1 \\ c_2 \end{pmatrix} \]

This is a system of two linear equations written vertically, showing the expressions for each equation.

\[ \begin{pmatrix} a_1 & b_1 \\ a_2 & b_2 \end{pmatrix} \begin{pmatrix} x \\ y \end{pmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix} c_1 \\ c_2 \end{pmatrix} \]

This is the compact matrix form: \( AX = B \), where the coefficient matrix multiplies the variable matrix to equal the constants matrix.

Terminology

  • Coefficient Matrix (A): A matrix formed by the coefficients of variables in the equations.
  • Variable Matrix (X): A column matrix of unknowns, like \( \begin{pmatrix} x \\ y \end{pmatrix} \).
  • Constant Matrix (B): The matrix containing the constants on the right-hand side of the equations.
  • Matrix Equation: An algebraic representation of a system of linear equations.

Applications

  • Used in linear algebra to solve systems of equations quickly.
  • Common in economics and business for supply-demand modeling.
  • Used in engineering for solving network flow and circuit analysis problems.
  • Helps in computer programming for algorithm development involving linear systems.
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