Solution MISLE.C41 Robert Beezer
The coefficient matrix of this system of equations is \begin{equation*} A= \begin{bmatrix} 1 & 2 & -1 \\ 2 & 5 & -1 \\ -1 & -4 & 0 \end{bmatrix} \end{equation*} and the vector of constants is $\vect{b}=\colvector{-3\\-4\\2}$. So by Theorem SLEMM we can convert the system to the form $A\vect{x}=\vect{b}$. Row-reducing this matrix yields the identity matrix so by Theorem NMRRI we know $A$ is nonsingular. This allows us to apply Theorem SNCM to find the unique solution as \begin{equation*} \vect{x} = \inverse{A}\vect{b} = \begin{bmatrix} -4 & 4 & 3 \\ 1 & -1 & -1 \\ -3 & 2 & 1 \end{bmatrix} \colvector{-3\\-4\\2} = \colvector{2\\-1\\3} \end{equation*} Remember, you can check this solution easily by evaluating the matrix-vector product $A\vect{x}$ (Definition MVP).