Fraction-free Gaussian elimination and new forms for LU factors

Wenqin Zhou and David Jeffrey
University of Western Ontario, London, Canada

Students hate fractions.  Teachers do not like fractions.  CAS prefer to avoid
fractions.  How can we avoid fractions when teaching Gaussian Elimination and
LU factoring? In computer algebra circles, a form of fraction-free Gaussian
Elimination has been known for many years.  It can be extended to LU factoring
as well.  In this talk, fraction-free Gaussian elimination will be described
and a new form of LU factoring given.