a plus b is 340 c plus b is 320 a plus c is 300 what is a plus b plus c

asked by guest
on Jan 07, 2025 at 7:40 am



You asked:

Given the following equations: \[\begin{aligned}a + b &= 340\\ c + b &= 320\\ a + c &= 300\end{aligned}\] Evaluate \(a + b + c\).

MathBot Answer:

The system of linear equations has exactly one solution.

The substitutions are \( a = 160 \), \( b = 180 \), \( c = 140 \).

\[a + b + c = 480\]


Begin by writing the augmented matrix of the system of equations. $$\begin{bmatrix}1 & 1 & 0 &\bigm |& 340\\0 & 1 & 1 &\bigm |& 320\\1 & 0 & 1 &\bigm |& 300\end{bmatrix}$$

Then use a series of elementary row operations to convert the matrix into reduced-row echelon form. The three elementary row operations are:

  1. Swap the positions of any two rows.

  2. Multiply any row by a nonzero scalar.

  3. Multiply a row by a nonzero scalar and add it to any other row.


First, switch the rows in the matrix such that the row with the leftmost non-zero entry with the greatest magnitude is at the top.

$$\begin{bmatrix}1 & 1 & 0 &\bigm |& 340\\0 & 1 & 1 &\bigm |& 320\\1 & 0 & 1 &\bigm |& 300\end{bmatrix}$$

The leading term of row \(1\) is already \(1\) so this row does not need to be multiplied by a scalar.

$$\begin{bmatrix}1 & 1 & 0 &\bigm |& 340\\0 & 1 & 1 &\bigm |& 320\\1 & 0 & 1 &\bigm |& 300\end{bmatrix}$$

Multiply row \(1\) by scalar \(-1\) and add it to row \(3\).

$$\begin{bmatrix}1 & 1 & 0 &\bigm |& 340\\0 & 1 & 1 &\bigm |& 320\\0 & -1 & 1 &\bigm |& -40\end{bmatrix}$$

Switch the rows in the matrix such that the row with the next leftmost non-zero entry with the next greatest magnitude is the next row from the top.

$$\begin{bmatrix}1 & 1 & 0 &\bigm |& 340\\0 & 1 & 1 &\bigm |& 320\\0 & -1 & 1 &\bigm |& -40\end{bmatrix}$$

The leading term of row \(2\) is already \(1\) so this row does not need to be multiplied by a scalar.

$$\begin{bmatrix}1 & 1 & 0 &\bigm |& 340\\0 & 1 & 1 &\bigm |& 320\\0 & -1 & 1 &\bigm |& -40\end{bmatrix}$$

Multiply row \(2\) by scalar \(-1\) and add it to row \(1\).

$$\begin{bmatrix}1 & 0 & -1 &\bigm |& 20\\0 & 1 & 1 &\bigm |& 320\\0 & -1 & 1 &\bigm |& -40\end{bmatrix}$$

Multiply row \(2\) by scalar \(1\) and add it to row \(3\).

$$\begin{bmatrix}1 & 0 & -1 &\bigm |& 20\\0 & 1 & 1 &\bigm |& 320\\0 & 0 & 2 &\bigm |& 280\end{bmatrix}$$

Multiply row \(3\) by scalar \(\frac{1}{2}\) to make the leading term \(1\).

$$\begin{bmatrix}1 & 0 & -1 &\bigm |& 20\\0 & 1 & 1 &\bigm |& 320\\0 & 0 & 1 &\bigm |& 140\end{bmatrix}$$

Multiply row \(3\) by scalar \(1\) and add it to row \(1\).

$$\begin{bmatrix}1 & 0 & 0 &\bigm |& 160\\0 & 1 & 1 &\bigm |& 320\\0 & 0 & 1 &\bigm |& 140\end{bmatrix}$$

Multiply row \(3\) by scalar \(-1\) and add it to row \(2\).

$$\begin{bmatrix}1 & 0 & 0 &\bigm |& 160\\0 & 1 & 0 &\bigm |& 180\\0 & 0 & 1 &\bigm |& 140\end{bmatrix}$$

Once the matrix is in reduced-row echelon form, convert the matrix back into linear equations to find the solution. $$\begin{aligned}1 \cdot a+ 0 \cdot b+ 0 \cdot c = 160 \\ a = 160\end{aligned}$$$$\begin{aligned}0 \cdot a+ 1 \cdot b+ 0 \cdot c = 180 \\ b = 180\end{aligned}$$$$\begin{aligned}0 \cdot a+ 0 \cdot b+ 1 \cdot c = 140 \\ c = 140\end{aligned}$$

By substituting these values into the expression, we find that:$$\begin{aligned} a + b + c &= 140 + 160 + 180\\ &=480\end{aligned}$$