Definition: Row Echelon Form of a Matrix

A matrix in Row Echelon Form (REF) has the following properties:

1. All rows consisting entirely of zeros occur at the bottom of the matrix.

2. *Below each leading coefficient (first non-zero entry in a given row, also referred to as a pivot) is a
column of zeros.
3. Each pivot lies to the right of the pivot in the row above, producing a ”stair case” pattern.

* In some books, they require that the leading coefficient of each non-zero row is 1.

Example: Write the following matrix in row echelon form:

   
0 −3 −6 4 9 1 4 5 −9 −7
 −1 −2 −1 3 1   0 2 4 −6 −6 
   
 −2 −3 0 3 −1   0 0 0 0 0 
1 4 5 −9 −7 0 −3 −6 4 9

⇓ ⇓
R1 ¿ R4 R3 ¿ R4
 
  1 4 5 −9 −7
1 4 5 −9 −7  0 2 4 −6 −6 
 −1 −2 −1 3 1   
   0 −3 −6 4 9 
 −2 −3 0 3 −1  0 0 0 0 0
0 −3 −6 4 9

⇓
⇓ (3/2)R2 + R3 → R3
R1 + R2 → R2  
1 4 5 −9 −7
   0 2 4 −6 −6 
1 4 5 −9 −7  
 0 2 4 −6 −6   0 0 0 −5 0 
 
 −2 −3 0 3 −1  0 0 0 0 0
0 −3 −6 4 9 In certain books, the above matrix is in Row Echelon
Form. We can carry out one more step to obtain 1’s
in the pivot position.
⇓
2R1 + R3 → R3
⇓
  (1/2)R2 → R2
1 4 5 −9 −7
 0 2 (−1/5)R3 → R3
 4 −6 −6 
 0 5 10 −15 −15   
1 4 5 −9 −7
0 −3 −6 4 9  0
 1 2 −3 −3 

 0 0 0 1 0 
⇓ 0 0 0 0 0
(−5/2)R2 + R3 → R3 The above matrix is in Row Echelon Form.
The boxed numbers are the pivots.