A stationery shop sells pencils

MATHEMATICS · Multi-part · CBSE · Mathematics · Determinants · Determinants

Problem

A stationery shop sells pencils, pens and erasers whose individual prices are unknown. The shopkeeper advertises the following three offers: • Offer I: 2 pencils, 3 pens and 1 eraser for ₹31. • Offer II: 1 pencil, 2 pens and 2 erasers for ₹24. • Offer III: 3 pencils, 1 pen and 4 erasers for ₹35. (i) If the prices of a pencil, a pen and an eraser are ₹xx, ₹yy and ₹zz respectively, form a system of three linear equations in x,yx, y and zz based on the above data. (ii) Write this system in the matrix equation form AX=BAX = B, clearly specifying AA, XX and BB. (iii) If the determinant ∣A∣|A| is found to be non-zero, what does this imply about the number of possible price lists (x,y,z)(x, y, z) that satisfy all three offers? State your answer with reason.

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