Hi, there-- Problem: Do you mean solve the following system of equations using Cramer's Rule? 4x+4y-5z=13 -2x+3y=-10 2x+y-2z=-5 Answer: We have the left-hand side of the system with the variables (the "coefficient matrix") and the right-hand side with the answer values. Let D be the determinant of the coefficient matrix of the above system. Build a 3x3 coefficient matrix D for the left-hand side of the system: 4, 4, -5 -2, 3, 0 2, 1, -2 Build 3x1 matrix for the right-hand side of the system: 13 -10 -5 Let Dx be the determinant formed by replacing the x-column values with the answer-column values. Let Dy be the determinant formed by replacing the y-column values with the answer-column values. Let Dz be the determinant formed by replacing the z-column values with the answer-column values. Dx: 13, 4, -5 -10, 3, 0 -5, 1, -2 Dy: 4, 13, -5 -2, -10, 0 2, -5, -2 Dz: 4, 4, 13 -2, 3, -10 2, 1, -5 Cramer's Rule states that x = Dx/D y = Dy/D z = Dz/D Evaluate each determinate and apply the formulas to find (x,y,z). D: 4, 4, -5 -2, 3, 0 2, 1, -2 (4)(3)(-2)+(4)(0)(2)+(-5)(-2)(1)-(2)(3)(-5)-(1)(0)(4)-(-2)(-2)(4)=(-24)+(0)+(10)-(-30)-(0)-(16)= D = 0 I'll stop here. Since D=0, we cannot use Cramer's Rule. (It would mean that we divide by zero...a definite no-no!) You will need to go back to a different method, such as row operations. ~Mrs. Figgy