Consider the following system of linear equations.

$$ x_1+2 x_2=b_1 ; 2 x_1+4 x_2=b_2 ; 3 x_1+7 x_2=b_3 ; 3 x_1+9 x_2=b_4 $$

Which one of the following conditions ensures that a solution exists for the above system?

The rank of the matrix $$\left[ {\matrix{ 1 & { - 1} & 0 & 0 & 0 \cr 0 & 0 & 1 & { - 1} & 0 \cr 0 & 1 & { - 1} & 0 & 0 \cr { - 1} & 0 & 0 & 0 & 1 \cr 0 & 0 & 0 & 1 & { - 1} \cr } } \right]$$ is __________.

If the vectors $${e_1} = \left( {1,0,2} \right),\,{e_2} = \left( {0,1,0} \right)$$ and $${e_3} = \left( { - 2,0,1} \right)$$ form an orthogonal basis of the three dimensional real space $${R^3},$$ then the vectors $$u = \left( {4,3, - 3} \right) \in {R^3}$$ can be expressed as

The matrix $$A = \left[ {\matrix{ a & 0 & 3 & 7 \cr 2 & 5 & 1 & 3 \cr 0 & 0 & 2 & 4 \cr 0 & 0 & 0 & b \cr } } \right]$$ has det
$$(A)=100$$ and trace $$(A)=14.$$ The value of $$\left| {a - b} \right|$$ is ___________.