Practice Problems Linear Systems Math 201-105-RE

1. Solve the system or show that it is inconsistent. If the system has Find all values of k for which the system is consistent.
2. 
infinitely many solutions, express them parametrically.  x + 3y + 3z = −2

 2y + 2z = 3
 4x + y − 5z = 3
 

2x + 5y + 5z = k − 5
(a) 3x + y − 2z = 5

2x + 2y + z = 4

3. Find a condition on a, b, and c so that
the system is consistent.
 
x + 2y + 3z = 1



 2x  x + 2y − 2z = a

+ 5y = 0 (a) 3x + 2z = b
(b)
3x + 6y + 9z = 3

+ 3y − 4z = c

 


4x + 9y + 11z = 8 
 6x + 12y + 2z = a

 (b) 4x + 6y + 2z = b
 3x + y + 3z = −4
 

3x + 12y − z = c
(c) 3x + 2y + 9z = −9

−9x − 4y − 3z = 7

4. Find a condition on a, b, and c so that
 the
 system has a unique solution.
 3x + 7y − z = 3
  2x + y + az = 3

(d) −5x − 11y + 3z = −2 5x − 2y + bz = 3
 
3x + 9y + z = 7 −4x + y + cz = −3
 

 Find all values of k such that the system

5. 
 3x + 4y + z = 1

8z = k − 1
(e) 2x + 3y = 0 x +
 5y +
 (k − 3)y + 4z = 2k − 8
4x + 3y − z = −2
 
(3k − 15)z = k

 (a) has a unique solution;

 x2 + 4x3 − x4 = −5
(f) x1 + 3x2 + 5x3 = −2 (b) has infinitely many solutions;

3x1 + 7x2 + 7x3 + 2x4 = 6 (c) has no solutions.


Find all values of k such that the system

6. (

 −2x + 3y + 3z = −9

(g) 3x − 4y + z = 5 −x − ky = 5


−5x + 7y + 2z = −14 kx + 4y = 10
(a) has a unique solution;

 2x1 + x2 − 3x3 + 5x4 = 7
 (b) has infinitely many solutions;
(h) 6x1 + 3x2 + x4 = 4 (c) has no solutions.

8x1 + 4x2 − 3x3 + 6x4 = 10


Find all values of k such that the system

7. (

 2x1 + 7x2 + 2x3 − 3x4 = 4
 x− y = 1
(i) 6x1 + 21x2 + 10x3 − 7x4 = 8 kx + k2 y = k2

4x1 + 14x2 + 8x3 − 4x4 = 4 (a) has a unique solution;


 (b) has infinitely many solutions;

 x2 + 4x3 − x4 = −5
 (c) has no solutions.
(j) x1 + 3x2 + 5x3 = 2

3x1 + 7x2 + 7x3 + 2x4 = 6

Find all values of k such that the system
8. 
(  3x + y +
 k2 z = k2
4x1 − 2x2 + 8x3 + x4 = 2 −6x + 3y + 2(k − k2 )z = 10 − 2k2
(k)
6x1 − 3x2 + 12x3 + 2x4 = 4

−3x + 24y + 16z = −14


 (a) has a unique solution;

 4x1 + 8x2 + x3 + 5x4 + x5 + 6x6 = 0

(b) has infinitely many solutions;
(l) 2x1 + 4x2 + 2x3 + 4x4 + 2x5 + 6x6 = 0
 (c) has no solutions.
3x1 + 6x2 + 2x3 + 5x4 + 3x5 + 8x6 = 0

 Find all values of k such that the#augmented matrix
9. " 14. The Toy Company manufactures three kinds of toy dolls–Woody,
(k − 1) (k − 2) (k − 3) Buzz, and Jessie–out of blocks, screws, and springs. The number
0 (k − 4) (k − 4) of parts in one toy of each type is summarized in the following
represents a system with: table:
(a) a unique solution; blocks screws springs
(b) infinitely many solutions; Woody 10 5 20
(c) no solutions. Buzz 15 10 25
Jesse 1 1 1
Find all value of h such that the augmented
10.  matrix
(h + 1) (h + 2) 0
 In addition, the company has 50 blocks, 45 screws, and 60

 0 (h − 2) (h − 2) 
 springs available. They would like to determine how many of
0 0 (h2 − 1) each type of doll can be made to use up all of the parts. Name
represents a system with: variables, set-up a system of equations, solve it, and give all pos-
(a) no solutions; sible realistic answers.
(b) a unique solution; 15. The Phone Store sells three kinds of smart-phones: The E-phone
(c) infinitely many solutions. sells for $210, the BrownBerry sells for $300, and the Robo-
phone sells for $150. One day the store sells fourteen phones
11. A company manufactures three products A, B, and C. Each and has a revenue of $2400. How many of each type of phone
product requires labour and material. Product A requires 4 hours were sold on that day? Give all possible realistic solutions.
of labour and 6 units of material. Product B requires 2 hours
of labour and 2 units of material. Product C requires 1 hour of
A NSWERS ON NEXT PAGE .
labour and 2 units of material. If there are 22 hours of labour and
40 units of material available, how many of each product can be
made so that all the labour and material is used? Name variables,
set-up a system of equations, solve it, and give all possible real-
istic answers.

12. A furniture company makes kitchen tables, coffee tables, and

desks. Each product requires material and labour. One kitchen
table requires 10 units of material and 5 hours of labour; one cof-
fee table requires 5 units of material and 5 hours of labour; and
one desk requires 7 units of material and 3 hours of labour. If
there are 150 units of material and 70 hours of labour available,
how many of each product can be made so that all the material
and labour is used? Name variables, set-up a system of equa-
tions, solve it, and give all possible realistic answers.
13. The Simple Machine Company makes Widgets, Gadgets, and
Gizmos out of pulleys, wedges, and levers. Each Widget requires
2 pulleys, 1 wedges, and 3 levers. Each Gadget requires 2 pul-
leys, 3 wedges, and 1 lever. Each Gizmo requires 1 pulley and 2
levers. If the company has 20 pulleys, 6 wedges, and 34 levers
available, how many Widgets, Gadgets, and Gizmos can be made
to use up all of the resources? Name variables, set-up a system
of equations, solve it, and give all possible realistic answers.

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A NSWERS: 11. Let x=# of product A,
y=# of product B,
1. (a) (4, −3, 2) z=# of product C.
(
(b) (−13, 26/5, 6/5) 4x + 2y + z = 22
(c) (−1/2, 0, −5/6) 6x + 2y + 2z = 40
(d) (3, −1/2, 5/2)
Possible realistic solutions: (2, 0, 14), (1, 1, 16), (0, 2, 18).
(e) (−3/7, 2/7, 8/7)
(f) Inconsistent. (No solutions.) 12. Let x=# of kitchen tables,
(g) (−21 − 15t, −17 − 11t, t) y=# of coffee tables,
(h) Inconsistent. z=# of desks.
(
(i) (3 − 7s/2 + 2t, s, −1 − t/2, t) 10x + 5y + 7z = 150
(j) Inconsistent. 5x + 5y + 3z = 70
(k) (s/2 − 2t, s, t, 2)
Possible realistic solutions: (8, 0, 10), (4, 1, 15), (0, 2, 20).
(l) (−2r − s − t, r, −s − t, s, −t, t)
2. k = −1/2
3. (a) −3a + b + 2c = 0 13. Let x=# of Widgets, y=# of Gadgets, z=# of Gizmos.

(b) −5a + 6b + 2c = 0  2x + 2y + z = 20

4. a + 2b + 3c 6= 0 x + 3y = 6

3x + y + 2z = 34

5. (a) k 6= 3, 6= 5
(b) k = 3
Possible realistic solutions: (6, 0, 8), (3, 1, 12), (0, 2, 16).
(c) k = 5
6. (a) k 6= ±2
(b) k = −2 14. Let x1 =# of Woody dolls,
(c) k = 2 x2 =# of Buzz Dolls,
x3 =# of Jesse Dolls.
7. (a) k 6= 0, k 6= −1 
(b) k = 0  10x1 + 15x2 + x3 = 50

5x1 + 10x2 + x3 = 45
(c) k = −1 
20x1 + 25x2 + x3 = 60

8. (a) k 6= 8, k 6= 2
(b) k = 8 Two realistic solutions: (0, 1, 35), (1, 0, 40).
(c) k = 2
15. Let x1 =# of E-phones,
9. (a) k 6= 1, k 6= 4
x2 =# of Robophones,
(b) k = 4
x3 =# of Brownberries.
(c) k = 1 (
x1 + x2 + x3 = 14
10. (a) h 6= 1
210x1 + 300x2 + 150x3 = 2400
(b) h = 1
(c) Impossible. Two realistic solutions: (5, 0, 9), (0, 2, 12).

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