Chapter 32: Analyzing Data Using Goal Seeking and Solver
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Solving simultaneous linear equations
This example describes how to solve a set of three linear equations with three variables.
Here’s an example of a set of linear equations:
4 x + y – 2z = 0
2 x – 3y + 3z = 9
–6x – 2y + z = 0The question that Solver will answer is this: What values of x, y, and z satisfy all three
equations?
Figure 32.10 shows a workbook set up to solve this problem. This workbook has three named
cells, which makes the formulas more readable:
x: C11
y: C12
z: C13FIGURE 32.10
Solver will attempt to solve this series of linear equations.
All three named cells are initialized to 1.0 (which certainly doesn’t solve the equations).
This workbook, named linear equations.xlsx, is available on this book’s website at http://www.
wiley.com/go/excel2019bible.