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"In linear algebra, a matrix is in row echelon form if it can be obtained as the result of Gaussian elimination. Every matrix can be put in row echelon form by applying a sequence of elementary row operations. The term echelon comes from the French échelon ("level" or step of a ladder), and refers to the fact that the nonzero entries of a matrix in row echelon form look like the steps of a staircase."
