We need the number of real values of λ \lambda λ for which the system
{ 2 x − 3 y + 5 z = 9 x + 3 y − z = − 18 3 x − y + ( λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ ) z = 16 \begin{cases}
2x-3y+5z=9 \\
x+3y-z=-18 \\
3x-y+(\lambda^2-|\lambda|)z=16
\end{cases} ⎩ ⎨ ⎧ 2 x − 3 y + 5 z = 9 x + 3 y − z = − 18 3 x − y + ( λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ ) z = 16
has no solution .
1. Write the coefficient matrix
The coefficient matrix is
A = ( 2 − 3 5 1 3 − 1 3 − 1 λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ ) A=
\begin{pmatrix}
2 & -3 & 5 \\
1 & 3 & -1 \\
3 & -1 & \lambda^2-|\lambda|
\end{pmatrix} A = 2 1 3 − 3 3 − 1 5 − 1 λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣
For a system of 3 linear equations in 3 variables:
if det ( A ) ≠ 0 \det(A)\neq 0 det ( A ) = 0 , there is a unique solution;
for no solution , we need det ( A ) = 0 \det(A)=0 det ( A ) = 0 and inconsistency.
So first find when det ( A ) = 0 \det(A)=0 det ( A ) = 0 .
2. Compute the determinant
det ( A ) = ∣ 2 − 3 5 1 3 − 1 3 − 1 λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ ∣ \det(A)=
\begin{vmatrix}
2 & -3 & 5 \\
1 & 3 & -1 \\
3 & -1 & \lambda^2-|\lambda|
\end{vmatrix} det ( A ) = 2 1 3 − 3 3 − 1 5 − 1 λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣
Expanding along the first row:
det ( A ) = 2 ∣ 3 − 1 − 1 λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ ∣ − ( − 3 ) ∣ 1 − 1 3 λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ ∣ + 5 ∣ 1 3 3 − 1 ∣ \det(A)=2
\begin{vmatrix}
3 & -1 \\
-1 & \lambda^2-|\lambda|
\end{vmatrix}
-(-3)
\begin{vmatrix}
1 & -1 \\
3 & \lambda^2-|\lambda|
\end{vmatrix}
+5
\begin{vmatrix}
1 & 3 \\
3 & -1
\end{vmatrix} det ( A ) = 2 3 − 1 − 1 λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ − ( − 3 ) 1 3 − 1 λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ + 5 1 3 3 − 1
Now compute each minor:
∣ 3 − 1 − 1 λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ ∣ = 3 ( λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ ) − 1 \begin{vmatrix}
3 & -1 \\
-1 & \lambda^2-|\lambda|
\end{vmatrix}
=3(\lambda^2-|\lambda|)-1 3 − 1 − 1 λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ = 3 ( λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ ) − 1
∣ 1 − 1 3 λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ ∣ = λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ + 3 \begin{vmatrix}
1 & -1 \\
3 & \lambda^2-|\lambda|
\end{vmatrix}
=\lambda^2-|\lambda|+3 1 3 − 1 λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ = λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ + 3
∣ 1 3 3 − 1 ∣ = − 1 − 9 = − 10 \begin{vmatrix}
1 & 3 \\
3 & -1
\end{vmatrix}
=-1-9=-10 1 3 3 − 1 = − 1 − 9 = − 10
Hence
det ( A ) = 2 ( 3 ( λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ ) − 1 ) + 3 ( λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ + 3 ) + 5 ( − 10 ) \det(A)=2\big(3(\lambda^2-|\lambda|)-1\big)+3(\lambda^2-|\lambda|+3)+5(-10) det ( A ) = 2 ( 3 ( λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ ) − 1 ) + 3 ( λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ + 3 ) + 5 ( − 10 )
= 6 ( λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ ) − 2 + 3 ( λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ ) + 9 − 50 =6(\lambda^2-|\lambda|)-2+3(\lambda^2-|\lambda|)+9-50 = 6 ( λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ ) − 2 + 3 ( λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ ) + 9 − 50
= 9 ( λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ ) − 43 =9(\lambda^2-|\lambda|)-43 = 9 ( λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ ) − 43
So
det ( A ) = 0 ⟺ 9 ( λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ ) − 43 = 0 \det(A)=0 \iff 9(\lambda^2-|\lambda|)-43=0 det ( A ) = 0 ⟺ 9 ( λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ ) − 43 = 0
λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ = 43 9 \lambda^2-|\lambda|=\frac{43}{9} λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ = 9 43
Let t = ∣ λ ∣ ≥ 0 t=|\lambda|\ge 0 t = ∣ λ ∣ ≥ 0 . Then
t 2 − t = 43 9 t^2-t=\frac{43}{9} t 2 − t = 9 43
9 t 2 − 9 t − 43 = 0 9t^2-9t-43=0 9 t 2 − 9 t − 43 = 0
Its roots are
t = 9 ± 81 + 1548 18 = 9 ± 1629 18 t=\frac{9\pm\sqrt{81+1548}}{18}
=\frac{9\pm\sqrt{1629}}{18} t = 18 9 ± 81 + 1548 = 18 9 ± 1629
Since 1629 > 9 \sqrt{1629}>9 1629 > 9 , one root is negative and one is positive. Thus exactly one positive value of t = ∣ λ ∣ t=|\lambda| t = ∣ λ ∣ exists, giving
λ = ± t \lambda=\pm t λ = ± t
So there are 2 real values of λ \lambda λ for which det ( A ) = 0 \det(A)=0 det ( A ) = 0 .
3. Check whether these values give no solution or infinitely many solutions
We now examine consistency when
λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ = 43 9 \lambda^2-|\lambda|=\frac{43}{9} λ 2 − ∣ λ ∣ = 9 43
Then the third equation becomes
3 x − y + 43 9 z = 16 3x-y+\frac{43}{9}z=16 3 x − y + 9 43 z = 16
Now solve the first two equations for a relation.
From
2 x − 3 y + 5 z = 9 . . . ( 1 ) 2x-3y+5z=9 \quad ...(1) 2 x − 3 y + 5 z = 9 ... ( 1 )
x + 3 y − z = − 18 . . . ( 2 ) x+3y-z=-18 \quad ...(2) x + 3 y − z = − 18 ... ( 2 )
Add 2 × ( 2 ) 2\times (2) 2 × ( 2 ) to ( 1 ) (1) ( 1 ) :
( 2 x − 3 y + 5 z ) + 2 ( x + 3 y − z ) = 9 + 2 ( − 18 ) (2x-3y+5z)+2(x+3y-z)=9+2(-18) ( 2 x − 3 y + 5 z ) + 2 ( x + 3 y − z ) = 9 + 2 ( − 18 )
4 x + 3 y + 3 z = − 27 4x+3y+3z=-27 4 x + 3 y + 3 z = − 27
But a cleaner way is to solve directly.
From (2):
x = − 18 − 3 y + z x=-18-3y+z x = − 18 − 3 y + z
Substitute into (1):
2 ( − 18 − 3 y + z ) − 3 y + 5 z = 9 2(-18-3y+z)-3y+5z=9 2 ( − 18 − 3 y + z ) − 3 y + 5 z = 9
− 36 − 6 y + 2 z − 3 y + 5 z = 9 -36-6y+2z-3y+5z=9 − 36 − 6 y + 2 z − 3 y + 5 z = 9
− 9 y + 7 z = 45 -9y+7z=45 − 9 y + 7 z = 45
y = 7 z − 45 9 y=\frac{7z-45}{9} y = 9 7 z − 45
Then
x = − 18 − 3 ( 7 z − 45 9 ) + z x=-18-3\left(\frac{7z-45}{9}\right)+z x = − 18 − 3 ( 9 7 z − 45 ) + z
x = − 18 − 7 z − 45 3 + z x=-18-\frac{7z-45}{3}+z x = − 18 − 3 7 z − 45 + z
x = − 18 − 7 z 3 + 15 + z = − 3 − 4 z 3 x=-18-\frac{7z}{3}+15+z
=-3-\frac{4z}{3} x = − 18 − 3 7 z + 15 + z = − 3 − 3 4 z
Now substitute into the third equation:
3 x − y + 43 9 z = 16 3x-y+\frac{43}{9}z=16 3 x − y + 9 43 z = 16
Compute:
3 x = 3 ( − 3 − 4 z 3 ) = − 9 − 4 z 3x=3\left(-3-\frac{4z}{3}\right)=-9-4z 3 x = 3 ( − 3 − 3 4 z ) = − 9 − 4 z
and
− y = − 7 z − 45 9 = 45 − 7 z 9 -y=-\frac{7z-45}{9}=\frac{45-7z}{9} − y = − 9 7 z − 45 = 9 45 − 7 z
So
3 x − y + 43 9 z n = ( − 9 − 4 z ) + 45 − 7 z 9 + 43 z 9 3x-y+\frac{43}{9}z
n= (-9-4z)+\frac{45-7z}{9}+\frac{43z}{9} 3 x − y + 9 43 z n = ( − 9 − 4 z ) + 9 45 − 7 z + 9 43 z
= ( − 9 − 4 z ) + 45 + 36 z 9 = (-9-4z)+\frac{45+36z}{9} = ( − 9 − 4 z ) + 9 45 + 36 z
= ( − 9 − 4 z ) + ( 5 + 4 z ) = − 4 = (-9-4z)+(5+4z)=-4 = ( − 9 − 4 z ) + ( 5 + 4 z ) = − 4
Thus the left side of the third equation becomes always − 4 -4 − 4 , but the equation requires it to be 16 16 16 .
So the system is inconsistent.
Hence for each of those 2 values of λ \lambda λ , the system has no solution .
4. Final answer
Therefore, the number of real values of λ \lambda λ for which the system has no solution is
2 \boxed{2} 2
So the correct option is C .