Cramer's Rule - General Case

General Case

Consider a system of n linear equations for n unknowns, represented in matrix multiplication form as follows:

where the n by n matrix has a nonzero determinant, and the vector is the column vector of the variables.

Then the theorem states that in this case the system has a unique solution, whose individual values for the unknowns are given by:

where is the matrix formed by replacing the ith column of by the column vector .

The rule holds for systems of equations with coefficients and unknowns in any field, not just in the real numbers. It has recently been shown that Cramer's rule can be implemented in O(n3) time, which is comparable to more common methods of solving systems of linear equations, such as Gaussian elimination.

Read more about this topic:  Cramer's Rule

Famous quotes containing the words general and/or case:

    The conclusion suggested by these arguments might be called the paradox of theorizing. It asserts that if the terms and the general principles of a scientific theory serve their purpose, i. e., if they establish the definite connections among observable phenomena, then they can be dispensed with since any chain of laws and interpretive statements establishing such a connection should then be replaceable by a law which directly links observational antecedents to observational consequents.
    —C.G. (Carl Gustav)

    Consider the deference which is everywhere paid to a doctor’s opinion. Nothing more strikingly betrays the credulity of mankind than medicine. Quackery is a thing universal, and universally successful. In this case it becomes literally true that no imposition is too great for the credulity of men.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)