- #1
nietzsche
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Homework Statement
For what values of a does the system
(a-1)x + 2y = 0
2x + (a-1)y = 0
have a nontrivial solution?
Homework Equations
The Attempt at a Solution
Argh... I'm really bad at linear algebra, can't seem to grasp the concepts.
I know that if I make this into a matrix
[tex]
\left[
\begin{array}{cc}
a-1 & 2\\
2 & a-1
\end{array}
\right]
[/tex]
that the only way the system will have a nontrivial solution is if the reduced row echelon form is not the 2x2 identity, i.e. the matrix is singular. But I don't know how to use those ideas to solve it. Any help would be great!