History of the Gauss-Jordan Elimination

  • 2200 BCE

    Magic Squares

    Dates back to Ancient China. Considered to be the first discovery and use of an unofficial matrix.
  • 300 BCE

    Nine Chapters of Mathematical Art

    Commentary written by Liu Hui in 263. The "equations" discussed in the Fang Cheng chapter are equivalent to today's simultaneous linear equations. The solution method called "Fang Cheng Shi" is best known today as Gaussian elimination.
  • 250 BCE

    Diophantus Of Alexandria (250 CE)

    Greek Mathematician famous for his work in algebra. Wrote the Arithmetica which laid the foundation for our modern day algebraic equations.
  • 1514

    Melencolia 1

    Created by Albrecht Durer. Contains a 4x4 Magic Square which is considered to be a matrix.
  • Gauss Elimination Method

    Gaussian elimination is a method for solving matrix equations of the form Ax = b.
  • James Sylvester

    The term matrix was introduced by the 19th-century English mathematician James Sylvester
  • Arthur Cayley

    Cayley first applied them to the study of systems of linear equations. Cayley recognized, certain sets of matrices form algebraic systems in which many of the ordinary laws of arithmetic (e.g., the associative and distributive laws) are valid but in which other laws (e.g., the commutative law) are not valid. Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2020, October 29). matrix. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/matrix-mathematics
  • Wilhelm Jordan Modifies Gauss Elimination

    The modification that Jordan made took a matrix from echelon form to row reduced echelon form.
  • Gauss-Jordan Elimination- Present Day

    The method is utilized to solve system of equations in Linear Algebra. Can also be used for problem solving in Encryptions, 3D Games, Economics, and so much more.