How to place braces in multiple equations

Question

I have the following expression:

\begin{equation}
\begin{aligned}
%C1
\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{y^{C_1}_i} &= m\beta_0^{C_1} + \beta_1^{C_1}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{x_{i1}^{C_1}} + \cdots + \beta_q^{C_1}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{x_{iq}^{C_1}}\\
\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{y^{C_1}_ix_{i1}^{C_1}} &= \beta_0^{C_1}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{x_{i1}^{C_1}} + \beta_1^{C_1}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{(x_{i1}^{C_1})^2} + \cdots + \beta_q^{C_1}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{x_{iq}^{C_1}x_{i1}^{C_1}}\\
&\vdots\\
\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{y^{C_1}_ix_{iq}^{C_1}} &= \beta_0^{C_1}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{x_{iq}^{C_1}} + \beta_1^{C_1}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{x_{i1}^{C_1}x_{iq}^{C_1}} + \cdots + \beta_q^{C_1}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{(x_{iq}^{C_1})^2}\\
%C2
\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{y^{C_2}_i} &= m\beta_0^{C_2} + \beta_1^{C_2}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{x_{i1}^{C_2}} + \cdots + \beta_q^{C_2}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{x_{iq}^{C_2}}\\
\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{y^{C_2}_ix_{i1}^{C_2}} &= \beta_0^{C_2}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{x_{i1}^{C_2}} + \beta_1^{C_2}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{(x_{i1}^{C_2})^2} + \cdots + \beta_q^{C_2}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{x_{iq}^{C_2}x_{i1}^{C_2}}\\
&\vdots\\
\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{y^{C_2}_ix_{iq}^{C_2}} &= \beta_0^{C_2}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{x_{iq}^{C_2}} + \beta_1^{C_2}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{x_{i1}^{C_2}x_{iq}^{C_2}} + \cdots + \beta_q^{C_2}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{(x_{iq}^{C_2})^2}\\
%R
\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{y^{R}_i} &= m\beta_0^{R} + \beta_1^{R}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{x_{i1}^{R}} + \cdots + \beta_q^{R}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{x_{iq}^{R}}\\
\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{y^{R}_ix_{i1}^{R}} &= \beta_0^{R}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{x_{i1}^{R}} + \beta_1^{R}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{(x_{i1}^{R})^2} + \cdots + \beta_q^{R}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{x_{iq}^{R}x_{i1}^{R}}\\
&\vdots\\
\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{y^{R}_ix_{iq}^{R}} &= \beta_0^{R}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{x_{iq}^{R}} + \beta_1^{R}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{x_{i1}^{R}x_{iq}^{R}} + \cdots + \beta_q^{R}\sum_{i = 1}^{m}{(x_{iq}^{R})^2}
\end{aligned}
\label{eq:normals_equations}
\end{equation}

and I want to place brace of this form:

Thank you so much!

Answer 1

The basic building block you can use is

\left\{
  \begin{aligned}
     ....
  \end{\aligned}
\right.

If you want the q+1 in front then just write it before the \left\{. You want three such groups on separate lines apparently with one single equation number, so you can place these groups in to

\begin{equation}
   \begin{gathered}
      ...\\
      ---\\
   \end{gathered}
\end{equation}

giving

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{amsmath}

\begin{document}

\begin{equation}
  \begin{gathered}
    \left\{
      \begin{aligned}
        % C1
        \sum_{i=1}^{m}{y^{C_1}_i}
        &= m\beta_0^{C_1}
        + \beta_1^{C_1}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{x_{i1}^{C_1}} + \dots
        + \beta_q^{C_1}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{x_{iq}^{C_1}}\\
        \sum_{i=1}^{m}{y^{C_1}_ix_{i1}^{C_1}}
        &= \beta_0^{C_1}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{x_{i1}^{C_1}}
        + \beta_1^{C_1}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{(x_{i1}^{C_1})^2} + \dots
        + \beta_q^{C_1}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{x_{iq}^{C_1}x_{i1}^{C_1}}\\
        &\vdots\\
        \sum_{i=1}^{m}{y^{C_1}_ix_{iq}^{C_1}}
        &= \beta_0^{C_1}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{x_{iq}^{C_1}}
        + \beta_1^{C_1}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{x_{i1}^{C_1}x_{iq}^{C_1}}
        + \dots + \beta_q^{C_1}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{(x_{iq}^{C_1})^2}\\
      \end{aligned}
    \right.\\
    % C2
    \left\{
      \begin{aligned}
        \sum_{i=1}^{m}{y^{C_2}_i}
        &= m\beta_0^{C_2}
        + \beta_1^{C_2}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{x_{i1}^{C_2}} + \dots
        + \beta_q^{C_2}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{x_{iq}^{C_2}}\\
        \sum_{i=1}^{m}{y^{C_2}_ix_{i1}^{C_2}}
        &= \beta_0^{C_2}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{x_{i1}^{C_2}}
        + \beta_1^{C_2}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{(x_{i1}^{C_2})^2} + \dots
        + \beta_q^{C_2}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{x_{iq}^{C_2}x_{i1}^{C_2}}\\
        &\vdots\\
        \sum_{i=1}^{m}{y^{C_2}_ix_{iq}^{C_2}}
        &= \beta_0^{C_2}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{x_{iq}^{C_2}}
        + \beta_1^{C_2}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{x_{i1}^{C_2}x_{iq}^{C_2}}
        + \dots + \beta_q^{C_2}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{(x_{iq}^{C_2})^2}\\
      \end{aligned}
    \right.\\
    % R
    \left\{
      \begin{aligned}
        \sum_{i=1}^{m}{y^{R}_i}
        &= m\beta_0^{R} + \beta_1^{R}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{x_{i1}^{R}}
        + \dots + \beta_q^{R}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{x_{iq}^{R}}\\
        \sum_{i=1}^{m}{y^{R}_ix_{i1}^{R}}
        &= \beta_0^{R}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{x_{i1}^{R}}
        + \beta_1^{R}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{(x_{i1}^{R})^2} + \dots
        + \beta_q^{R}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{x_{iq}^{R}x_{i1}^{R}}\\
        &\vdots\\
        \sum_{i=1}^{m}{y^{R}_ix_{iq}^{R}}
        &= \beta_0^{R}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{x_{iq}^{R}}
        + \beta_1^{R}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{x_{i1}^{R}x_{iq}^{R}}
        + \dots + \beta_q^{R}\sum_{i=1}^{m}{(x_{iq}^{R})^2}
      \end{aligned}
    \right.
    \label{eq:normals_equations}
  \end{gathered}
\end{equation}

\end{document}

I have changed your \cdots to \dots since amsmath knows which dots to use between + plus signs.

You might consider using \vdotswithin{=} from the mathtools package to get the vertical dots to be centered on the equals signs.

If you want to align the various elements vertically across groups, see Aligning across 'aligned' equation blocks