Solution TSS.C22 Chris Black
The augmented matrix for the given linear system and its row-reduced form are: \begin{align*} \begin{bmatrix} 1 & -2 & 1 & -1 & 3\\ 2 & -4 & 1 & 1 & 2\\ 1 & -2 & -2 & 3 & 1 \end{bmatrix} \rref \begin{bmatrix} \leading{1} & -2 & 0 & 0 & 3\\ 0 & 0 & \leading{1} & 0 & -2\\ 0 & 0 & 0 & \leading{1} & -2 \end{bmatrix}. \end{align*} Thus, we see we have an equivalent system for any scalar $x_2$: \begin{align*} x_1 &= 3 + 2x_2\\ x_3 &= -2\\ x_4 &= -2. \end{align*} For this system, $n = 4$ and $r = 3$. Since it is a consistent system by Theorem RCLS, Theorem CSRN guarantees an infinite number of solutions.