Linear Algebra 2S2

PRACTICE EXAMINATION SOLUTIONS

1. Find a basis for the row space, the column space, and the nullspace of the following matrix
A. Find rank A and nullity A. Verify that every vector in the row space of A is orthogonal to
every vector in the nullspace of A.
 
1 −1 7 3 4
 1 −1 2 3 1 
A=
 −2
.
2 1 −6 1 
0 4 16 0 8

Reduce A, getting the 4 × 5 matrix

 
1 0 0 3 −3/5
 0
 1 0 0 −2/5 
.
 0 0 1 0 3/5 
0 0 0 0 0
The row space has as basis the three non-zero rows of the reduced matrix, i.e. {(1, 0, 0, 3, −3/5),
(0, 1, 0, 0, −2/5), (0, 0, 1, 0, 3/5)}. The column space has basis the first three columns of the
original matrix A, since the “first one’s” of the reduced matrix appear in these columns:
{(1, 1, −2, 0), (−1, −1, 2, 4), (7, 2, 1, 16)}. For the nullspace, using the reduced matrix, we see that
x4 and x5 are arbitrary, and that x1 = −3x4 + 3/5 x5 , x2 = 2/5 x5 , and x3 = −3/5x5 . Thus, the
nullspace consists of all vectors in R5 of the form (−3x4 + 3/5 x5 , 2/5 x5 , −3/5 x5 , x4 , x5 ), which
we write as all vectors of the form x4 (−3, 0, 0, 1, 0) + x5 (3/5, 2/5, −3/5, 0, 1). In other words, a
basis for the nullspace is {(−3, 0, 0, 1, 0), (3/5, 2/5, −3/5, 0, 1)}. The rank of A is 3 and the nullity
of A is 2; note that Rank A+ Nullity A = 5. Finally, to verify that every vector in the row space
is orthogonal to every vector in the nullspace, it is enough to check the basis vectors. So, there
are 6 things to check, since there are 3 vectors in the basis of the row space and 2 vectors in the
basis for the nullspace. Checking the first one: (1, 0, 0, 3, −3/5) · (−3, 0, 0, 1, 0) = 0. The other 5
verifications are left to you.

 
2 1 1
2.(a). Let A = 1 2
 1 .
1 1 2
Find an orthogonal matrix P which diagonalizes A. Using this or otherwise, calculate A8 .
(b). Let A be a symmetric matrix, and let λ and µ be two, distinct eigenvalues of A. Let x be an
eigenvector of A corresponding to λ and let y be an eigenvector of A corresponding to µ. Prove
that x ⊥ y.

(a). The first step is to find the eigenvalues of A. So, solving det(A − λI) =
 
2−λ 1 1
det  1 2−λ 1  = 0,
1 1 2−λ
we get three roots λ = 1, λ = 1, λ = 4 (i.e. 1 is a double root).
The second step is to find the corresponding eigenvectors. Our goal is to find two perpendicular
eigenvectors, each of length 1, corresponding to λ = 1, and a third eigenvector, of length 1,
corresponding
 to λ =4 which is to be perpendicularto the firsttwo. For λ = 1, we therefore
1 1 1 1 1 1
consider  1 1 1  , obtaining the reduced form  0 0 0  , which yields the general so-
1 1 1 0 0 0
lution (−x2 − x3 , x2 , x3 ), where x2 and x3 are arbitrary. Letting x2 = 1 and x3 = 0, we get
u1 = (−1, 1, 0) as an eigenvector. Then, letting x2 = 0 and x3 = 1, we get u2 = (−1, 0, 1) as
another eigenvector. Note however, that neither u1 nor u2 has length 1; moreover, u1 is not
orthogonal to u2 . So, we must apply the Gram-Schmidt process:

√ √
Let v1 = u1 /||u1 ||, obtaining v1 = (−1/ 2, 1/ 2, 0). Then, take
u2 − < u2 , v1 > v1
v2 = ,
||u2 − < u2 , v1 > v1 ||
√ √ √
obtaining v2 = (−1/ 6, −1/ 6, 2/ 6). (Verify that both v1 and v2 are unit vectors, that they
are both eigenvectors corresponding to λ = 1, and finally that v1 ⊥ v2 .)

 Now, we findthe third eigenvector corresponding

 toλ = 4. So, to reduce the matrix
−2 1 1 1 0 −1
 1 −2 1  . We obtain the matrix  0 1 −1  . Solving, we get x3 is arbitrary,
1 1 −2 0 0 0
x1 = x2 = x3 . Thus, for example, u3 = (1, 1, 1) is an eigenvector. However, we need to normalise
√ √ √
u3 , i.e. make it have length 1. So, the vector we seek is u3 /||u3 || = (1/ 3, 1/ 3, 1/ 3).
Therefore the orthogonal matrix we seek is
 √ √ √ 
−1/√2 −1/√6 1/√3
P =  1/ 2 −1/√6 1/√3  .
0 2/ 6 1/ 3
The point of all of this: For this P , we have
 
1 0 0
P T AP = D =  0 1 0  .
0 0 4
  
1 0 0
Thus, A = P DP T , so that A8 = P D8 P T = P  0 1 0 PT.
0 0 48

(b). λ < x, y >=< λx, y >=< Ax, y >=< x, AT y >=< x, Ay >, since A is symmetric,
=< x, µy >= µ < x, y > . Therefore, (λ − µ) < x, y >= 0. Now, we are given that λ 6= µ. Thus,
< x, y > must be 0, i.e. x ⊥ y.

3. In each case, either explain why the set S in question is a vector space and find a basis and
dimension of S, or explain why S is not a vector space.

(a). S = {(x1 , x2 , x3 , x4 ) ∈ R4 : 2x1 + x3 − x4 = 0 and x1 − x3 − 2x4 = 0}.

(b). S = all 4 × 4 matrices which are anti-symmetric. (Recall that A is anti-symmetric
means that AT = −A.)
(c). S = all functions f : R → R such that f 0 (0) = 1.

Part(a). Since S is a subset of the vector space R4 , we need only show that if (x1 , x2 , x3 , x4 )
and (y1 , y2 , y3 , y4 ) are both in S and c is a scalar then their sum (x1 + y1 , x2 + y2 , x3 + y3 , x4 + y4 )
and the scalar product (cx1 , cx2 , cx3 , cx4 ) are both in S as well. For example, to verify the second
condition, 2(cx1 ) + (cx3 ) − (cx4 ) = c(2x1 + x3 − x4 ) = c · 0 = 0 and (cx1 ) − (cx3 ) − 2(cx4 ) =
c(x1 − x3 − 2x4 ) = c · 0 = 0. The verification of the first condition is just as simple.
 
  x1  
2 0 1 −1  x2  = 0 .
S = {(x1 , x2 , x3 , x4 ) ∈ R4

:
1 0 −1 −2  x3  0
x4
 
1 0 0 −1
Reducing, we get , from which the solution (x4 , x2 , −x4 , x4 ) = x2 (0, 1, 0, 0) +
0 0 1 1
x4 (1, 0, −1, 1) is obtained. Thus, a basis for S consists of the two vectors (0, 1, 0, 0), (1, 0, −1, 1).
dim S = 2.

Part (b). We argue as in part (a). Here, S is a subset of the vector space of all 4×4 matrices,
and so we must only verify that if A and B are anti-symmetric and c is a scalar, then A + B and
cA are also anti-symmetric. For example, (A + B)T = AT + B T = (−A) + (−B) = −(A + B).
Similarly, one shows that (cA)T = −(cA).
 Any 4 × 4 anti-symmetric matrix A is of the form
 
0 a12 a13 a14
 −a12 0 a23 a24 
A=  −a13 −a23
,
0 a34 
−a14 −a24 −a34 0

which we can write as a sum of 6 matrices

     
0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
 −1 0 0 0    0 0 0 0   0 0 0 0 
A = a12 
 0 + a13 
 −1
 + ... + a34  .
0 0 0  0 0 0   0 0 0 1 
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 −1 0

Since it is easy to see that these six matrices are linearly independent, they form a basis for S,
whose dimension is 6.

Part (c). Note that if f and g are in S, then f 0 (0) = g 0 (0) = 1. However, (f +g)0 (0) = 2 6= 1.
Hence S is not a vector space.

4. Let V be a vector space, and let {v1 , ..., vk } ⊂ V.

(a). Define the term {v1 , ..., vk } is linearly independent.
(b). Prove: If {v1 , v2 , v3 , v4 , v5 } is a linearly independent set, then so is {v1 , v2 , v3 }.
(c). Find all k ∈ R such that the set {(1, 2, 3), (0, −2, 1), (1, k 2 , 3k − 1)} is linearly independent.
Interpret geometrically.

Part (a). The set of vectors {v1 , ..., vk } is linearly independent means that the only possible
solution c1 , ..., ck to the equation c1 v1 + c2 v2 + ... + ck vk = 0 is c1 = 0, c2 = 0, ..., ck = 0.

Part (b). Suppose that {v1 , v2 , v3 , v4 , v5 } is a linearly independent set, and let us show that
the subset {v1 , v2 , v3 } is also linearly independent. So, consider the equation c1 v1 + c2 v2 + c3 v3 =
0. If {v1 , v2 , v3 } were not linearly independent (i.e. if it were linearly dependent) then there would
be a solution where not all the c1 , c2 , c3 were 0. Then, if we were to set c4 = 0 and c5 = 0, there
would be a solution to the equation c1 v1 + ... + c5 v5 = 0 where not all the c0 s are zero. But, this
contradicts our assumption that {v1 , v2 , v3 , v4 , v5 } is a linearly independent.

Part (c). The set of k ∈ R such that the set {(1, 2, 3), (0, −2, 1), (1, k 2 , 3k − 1)} is linearly
  
1 2 3
independent is the same as the set of k ∈ R such that det  0 −2 1  6= 0. Solving
2
1 k 3k − 1
√
k + 6k − 10 = 0, we get k = −3 ± 19. Thus, for all other k, {(1, 2, 3), (0, −2, 1), (1, k 2 , 3k − 1)}
2
√
is linearly independent. The geometric interpretation is that if k = −3 ± 19, then the three
vectors {(1, 2, 3), (0, −2, 1), (1, k 2 , 3k − 1)} lie on the same plane (and hence they are not linearly
independent). For all other values of k, {(1, 2, 3), (0, −2, 1), (1, k 2 , 3k − 1)} are not co-planar.

5. In each case, either diagonalise the matrix

 or explain why
 the matrix cannot be diagonalised.
  9 −9 0
−3 2
(a). A = . (b). A =  8 −8 0  .
0 −3
−14 14 0

Part (a). It is easy

 to see that the   λ = −3.
only eigenvalue of A is the double root  Now,
−3 − λ 2 0 1
reducing the matrix with λ = −3, we get the matrix . Thus,
0 −3 − λ 0 0
we get as eigenvector any vector of the form (x1 , 0). However, there is not a set of two linearly
independent eigenvectors corresponding to this double root. Hence, the matrix is not diagonal-
isable.

Part (b). First, the eigenvalues of A are obtained, as usual, by solving det(A − λI) = 0.
That is, one must solve the cubic λ2 (λ − 1) = 0.
Second, let’s find two-if possible-linearly independent eigenvectors corresponding to the double
root λ = 0 : We get x2 and x3 are arbitrary, and x1 = x2 . Thus, there are indeed 2 linearly
indendent eigenvectors, (1, 1, 0), (0, 0,
1). Corresponding
 to λ = 1, we find a third eigenvector
1 0 −9
(−9, −8, 14). Thus, if we take P =  1 0 −8  , then P −1 AP will be the diagonal matrix
0 1 14
 
0 0 0
D =  0 0 0 .
0 0 1
6. Let S : R2 → R2 be defined as rotation by an angle θ and let T : R2 → R2 be the projection
onto the x−axis.
(a). Find the standard matrices corresponding to S and T.
(b). Find the real eigenvalues, if any, of S and of T. Interpret your answers geometrically.
whether S ◦ T = 
(c). Determine  T ◦ S.  
cos θ − sin θ 1 0
Part(a). S ↔ , and T ↔ .
sin θ cos θ 0 0
Part(b). S has no real eigenvalues, unless θ is a multiple of π. The geometric reason is that
a rotation will not take a vector into a multiple of itself (unless the rotation is through a very
special angle of 0 or ±π or ±2π or ...).
T has eigenvalues 0 and 1, with corresponding eigenvectors (1, 0) and (0, 1), respectively. Note
that T takes (1, 0) to 1 times itself, while T takes (0, 1) to 0 times itself.
Part (c). S ◦ T is (almost) never equal to T ◦ S. One way to see this is to simply multiply the
two matrices S · T and T · S, and verify that the resulting products are indeed different. Another
way is to realise that, geometrically, T ◦ S(x1 , x2 ) is always a vector on the x−axis. On the other
hand, S ◦ T (x1 , x2 ) does not lie on the x− axis (unless the angle of rotation θ is a multiple of π.
can be any vector in R2 . So the two compositions, S ◦ T and T ◦ S, are different.