Solving Linear Equations

Row Echelon Form

• All nonzero rows are above any rows of all zeros.

• Each leading entry (i.e. left most nonzero entry) of a row is in a column to the right of the leading entry of the row above it.

• All entries in a column below a leading entry are zero.

Reduced Row Echelon Form

Add the following conditions to conditions 1, 2, and 3 above:

• The leading entry in each nonzero row is 1.

• Each leading 1 is the only nonzero entry in its column