This site is an interactive tool for finding the inverse of a matrix and solving systems of linear equations using row operations one step at a time.
Type of Material:
Drill and practice.
Recommended Uses:
This site can be used for individual or group exploration and learning.
Technical Requirements:
Any Internet browser that supports php.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
Practice using row operations to solve systems of linear equations and to invert a matrix.
Target Student Population:
Students in a linear algebra class or a college algebra class that includes the topic of matrices.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
The use of matrices to solve systems of equations and the three row operations.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
This site provides gives the choice of solving a system of linear equations and inverting a matrix. The user can pick an (nxn) matrix choosing n from 1 to 6. Then the student is taken to a workspace that provides the framework of each of the three matrix operations. The student specifies the operation and the computer performs the operation. The student can continue this process until the desired solution is obtained.
Concerns:
The program changes undefined fractions such as 1/0 to 1 without any warning or error message and also allows the user to multiply a row by 0 as a row operation.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
This site is a unique tool that allows students to practice row operations. Students can use it to reinforce the idea that there are exactly three row operations allowed in Gaussian Elimination. By not just providing the answer as a calculator does, using this program will require that students take an active role in the process.
Concerns:
It would be nice to have a link to a site that provides the ideas and processes of Gaussian Elimination. Also, there is no assistance for matrices and equations that have no solution. Since there are no “x” and “y” variables shown in the activity of solving a system of linear equations, a student may not understand how the matrix comes about.
A version of this tool that would also work with rectangular matrices reduction would be a plus.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
This site contains clear instructions on how it should be used. The matrix entry is self explanatory and the focus on just two possible tasks helps to avoid confusion.
Concerns:
None.
Creative Commons:
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