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RowReduce

RowReduce[m]
gives the row-reduced form of the matrix m.
MORE INFORMATION
  • RowReduce performs a version of Gaussian elimination, adding multiples of rows together so as to produce zero elements when possible. The final matrix is in reduced row echelon form.
  • If m is a sufficiently non-degenerate rectangular matrix with rows and more than columns, then the first columns of RowReduce[m] will form an identity matrix. »
  • RowReduce works on both numerical and symbolic matrices.
  • The following options can be given:
MethodAutomaticmethod to use
Modulus0integer modulus to use
ToleranceAutomaticnumerical tolerance to use
ZeroTestAutomaticfunction to test whether matrix elements should be considered to be zero
  • RowReduce[m, ZeroTest->test] evaluates to determine whether matrix elements are zero.
  • Possible settings for the Method option include , , and . The default setting of Automatic switches among these methods depending on the matrix given.
EXAMPLESCLOSE ALL
Basic Examples   (3)
Do row reduction on a square matrix:
Do row reduction on a rectangular matrix:
In[1]:=
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Out[1]=
 
Do row reduction on a square matrix:
In[1]:=
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Out[1]=
In[2]:=
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Out[2]//MatrixForm=
 
Do row reduction on a rectangular matrix:
In[1]:=
Click for copyable input
Out[1]=
In[2]:=
Click for copyable input
Out[2]//MatrixForm=
Scope   (2)
m is an exact 4×4 matrix:
Use exact arithmetic for the Gaussian elimination:
With machine-number arithmetic, the leading zeros and ones are still exact:
With higher-precision arithmetic, the leading zeros and ones are still exact:
Row reduction for a random complex 3×4 matrix:
Options   (2)
m is a 3×3 matrix of integers between 0 and 4:
Row reduction of m in ordinary arithmetic:
Row reduction of m in arithmetic modulo 5:
m is an ill-conditioned matrix:
In exact arithmetic, m is clearly non-degenerate:
With machine arithmetic, the default is to consider elements that are too small as zero:
With zero tolerance, even small terms may be taken into account:
With an augmented matrix, you can see how possible solution components are amplified:
Applications   (2)
m is a matrix and b is a vector:
Form an augmented matrix :
Do row reduction on the augmented matrix:
The last column is the solution of :
Do it for another right-hand side:
There is no solution to since there is a leading 1 in the last column:
m is a symbolic matrix:
Find the symbolic inverse:
This is the equivalent to what is given by Inverse:
Properties & Relations   (3)
m is a non-degenerate square matrix:
Augment m with the 3×3 identity matrix:
Do row reduction on the augmented matrix:
The last three columns of the result are Inverse[m]:
m is a 3×5 matrix:
m has its maximal MatrixRank of 3:
The first 3 columns of RowReduce[m] are the 3×3 identity matrix:
m is a degenerate square matrix:
Augment m with the 4×4 identity matrix:
Do row reduction on the augmented matrix:
The last 4 columns of any row with the leading one beyond the 4^(th) column is in the null space:
Even though the vectors are not the same, they are a basis for the same space:
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