Thread: Finding values that make the system inconsistent.

Another thread talked about finding determinants being the optimal way to solve this problem. Can anyone walk me through some steps? Thanks. The professor gives us problems not addressed in the text or in class.





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Check out this thread. You'll have to scroll down past the first few posts if you want a rigorous proof (my first idea was incorrect).

I think that thread was a bit beyond the scope of my ability at this point. So I will probably have to bite the bullet on this problem. I am not sure how to find a determinant when there are variables in the solution vector. Do I simply find the determinant of the matrix on the left and find where it is zero?

It is a real mystery why some profs give questions like these with no explanation. ;< ;<

Another way is Cramer's Rule. It's a simpler method (to my mind anyway) but the downside is that you have to calculate a bunch of 3x3 determinants. Scroll down to the "Applications" header.

-Dan