GAUSS-JORDAN ELIMINATION

Gauss-Jordan Elimination is a variant of Gaussian Elimination. Again, we are transforming the coefficient matrix into another matrix that is much easier to solve, and the system represented by the new augmented matrix has the same solution set as the original system of linear equations. In Gauss-Jordan Elimination, the goal is to transform the coefficient matrix into a diagonal matrix, and the zeros are introduced into the matrix one column at a time. We work to eliminate the elements both above and below the diagonal element of a given column in one pass through the matrix.

The general procedure for Gauss-Jordan Elimination can be summarized in the following steps:

1. Write the augmented matrix for the system of linear equations.
2. Use elementary row operations on the augmented matrix [A|b] to transform A into diagonal form. If a zero is located on the diagonal, switch the rows until a nonzero is in that place. If you are unable to do so, stop; the system has either infinite or no solutions.
3. By dividing the diagonal element and the right-hand-side element in each row by the diagonal element in that row, make each diagonal element equal to one.

Since the matrix is representing the coefficients of the given variables in the system, the augmentation now represents the values of each of those variables. The solution to the system can now be found by inspection and no additional work is required. Consider the following example:

It is now obvious, by inspection, that the solution to this linear system is x=3, y=1, and z=2. Again, by solution, it is meant the x, y, and z required to satisfy all the equations simultaneously.

Elimination Gauss-Jordan