Tutorial #9: Selected Solutions

1. Which of the following sets of vectors α = (a1 , a2 , · · · , an ) subspaces of Rn (n ≥ 3)

(a) all α such that a1 ≥ 0;

(b) all α such that a1 + 3a2 = a3 ;
Proof: here S = {α ∈ Rn | a1 + 3a2 = a3 }. Let arbitrary α = (a1 , a2 , · · · , an ) and β = (b1 , b2 , · · · , bn )
belong to the set S. That implies a1 + 3a2 = a3 and b1 + 3b2 = b3 . Considering their linear combination,
i.e., c1 α + c2 β = c1 (a1 , a2 , · · · , an ) + c2 (b1 , b2 , · · · , bn ) = (c1 a1 + c2 b1 , c1 a2 + c2 b2 , c1 a3 + c2 b3 · · · , c1 an + c2 bn ).
It is easy now to verify that (c1 a1 + c2 b1 ) + 3(c1 a2 + c2 b2 ) = (c1 a3 + c2 b3 ). Hence linear combination c1 α + c2 β
is in S, this concludes S is a subspace.
(c) all α such that a2 = a21 ;
(d) all α such that a1 a2 = 0;
Counterexample: here S = {α ∈ Rn | a1 a2 = 0} Consider vectors α = (1, 0, ∗, · · · , ∗) and β = (0, 1, ∗, · · · , ∗) in
the set S. But α + β = (1, 1, ∗, · · · , ∗) not in the set S, that is, closure property is not satisfied.
(e) all α such that a2 is rational

2. Let V be the (real) vector space of all functions f : R → R. Which of the following are subspaces of V ?
(a) all f such that f (x2 ) = f (x)2 ;
(b) all f such that f (0) = f (1);
(c) all f such that f (3) = 1 + f (−5);
(d) all f such that f (−1) = 0;
(e) all f which are continuous.
Proof: here S = {f ∈ V | limx→x0 f (x) = f (x0 )}. Let arbitrary f, g ∈ S. Hence limx→x0 g(x) = g(x0 )
and limx→x0 g(x) = g(x0 ). Considering their linear combination, i.e., c1 f + c2 g and limx→x0 (c1 f + c2 g)(x) =
limx→x0 (c1 f (x) + c2 g(x)) = c1 limx→x0 f (x) + c2 limx→x0 g(x) (as individual limit exists)= c1 f (x0 ) + c2 g(x0 ) =
(c1 f + c2 g)(x0 ). This show that c1 f + c2 g is continuous and hence it belongs to the set S. Thus set S is a
subspace of V.
3. Let F be a Field and let n be a positive integer (n ≥ 2). Let V be a vector space of all n × n matrices over F .
Which of the following set of matrices A in V are subspaces of V?
(a) all invertible A;
(b) all non-invertible A;
(c) all A such that AB = BA, where B is some fixed matrix in V;
Proof: here S = {A ∈ V = Mn (F) | AB = BA; for fixed B}. Let two arbitrary matrices A1 and A2 are in S.
Hence we know they hold conditions: A1 B = BA1 and A2 B = BA2 . It is easy to see that c1 A1 + c2 A2 ∈ S,
as (c1 A1 + c2 A2 )B = c1 A1 B + c2 A2 B = c1 BA1 + c2 BA2 = B(c1 A1 + c2 A2 ). Thus set S is a subspace of V.
(d) all A such that A2 = A.
Counterexample: Let A = I but (2I)2 ̸= 2I. Hence under this condition a subset of V cannot be subspace as
closure property associated with scalar multiplication does not satisfy.
4. Show that (1, 4) and (0, 1) form a basis of R2 over R.
5. Determine if the given vectors span the vector space V or not. If they do, find a basis for V.

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 (a) v1 = (1, 2, 3), v2 = (2, 4, 6), v3 = (−1, 0, 1) in R3 .
(b) w1 = (1, 0, 1), w2 = (0, 1, 0), w3 = (1, 1, 1) in R3 .
6. Determine if the following sets of vectors are linearly independent or linearly dependent.
(a) {(1, 2, 3), (4, 5, 6), (7, 8, 9)} in R3 .
   
1 −3 −2 6
(b) , in M2 (R).
−2 4 4 −8
(c) {1, x, x2 , x3 } in P3 (R).
(d) {x3 + 2x2 , −x2 + 3x + 1, x3 − x2 + 2x − 1} in P3 (R).
7. Find the value(s) of h for which the following set of vectors
     
1 h 1
v1 =  0  , v2 =  1  , and v3 =  2h 
0 −h 3h + 1
are linearly independent.

Sol: Set c1 v1 + c2 v2 + c3 v3 = 0. That gives

    
1 h 1 c1 0
0 1 2h   c2  =  0 
0 −h 3h + 1 c3 0
We know that if this system has unique solution, namely, zero solution, then columns of coefficient matrix (which
are vectors v1 , v2 , and v3 ) will be LI.
 
1 h 1
A REF of the coefficient matrix is 0 1 2h . Thus, the above system will have unique solution as
0 0 2h2 + 3h + 1
long as 2h2 + 3h + 1 ̸= 0. Hence, all the values of real numbers for h, which are not root of the quadratic equation
2h2 + 3h + 1 = 0, make vectors v1 , v2 , and v3 LI.

8. Let A be a m by n matrix over F . Show that the set of all vectors X such that AX = 0 is a subspace
of F n . This subspace is called the null space of A and its dimension is the nullity of A.
9. Let A be a m by n matrix over F . Show that the set of all vectors spanned by the row vectors of A is a subspace
of F n . This subspace is called the row space of A and its dimension in the row rank of A.
10. Let A be a m by n matrix over F . Show that the set of all vectors Y such that AX = Y has a solution for X is a
subspace of F m . This subspace is called the range space of A and its dimension in the column rank of A (why?).
Sol: We need to show that S = {Y ∈ Fm | AX = Y } is subspace of Fm . Let Y1 and Y2 belongs to set S. Then
Y1 = AX1 and Y2 = AX2 for some X1 and X2 .
Then c1 Y1 + c2 Y2 = c1 AX1 + c2 AX2 = A(c1 X1 + c2 X2 ). This says that for the vector c1 Y1 + c2 Y2 ∈ Fm there exist
a vector c1 X1 + c2 X2 ∈ Fn such that A(c1 X1 + c2 X2 ) = c1 Y1 + c2 Y2 , hence c1 Y1 + c2 Y2 ∈ S.
11. Show that for any matrix A
(a) nullity + row rank = n
(b) nullity + column rank = n
and conclude that row rank of A = column rank of A.
Sol: (a) We know that nullity is dimension of null space, which is exactly equal to number of free variables in
RREF. That means if n is the number of total variables, then n − r are free variables.

(b) Let A be m × n matrix.

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 • Choose a basis for B1 = {v1 , v2 , . . . , vk } nullspace.
• Extend this basis to a basis B2 = {v1 , v2 , . . . , vk , vk+1 , · · · vn } for Rn .
• Apply A to each basis vector, we see that {Avk+1 , Avk+2 , · · · , Avn } spans the image of A.
Proof: let y ∈ im(A) =⇒ ∃ x ∈ Rn s.t. y = Ax but Ax = A(c1 v1 + c2 v2 + · · · + cn vn ) = ck+1 Avk+1 + · · · +
cn Avn =⇒ y ∈ span {Avk+1 , Avk+2 , · · · , Avn }.
Pn−k P  P 
n−k n−k
• For linear independence consider i=1 αi A(vk+i ) = 0. This implies A i=1 α i v k+i = 0 =⇒ i=1 α i v k+i ∈
null(A). That contradicts B1 is basis for null(A) unless all αi = 0.
• Hence {Avk+1 , Avk+2 , · · · , Avn } is basis for image(A).

12. Let B = {α1 , α2 , α3 } be an ordered basis for R3 where α1 = (1, 0, −1), α2 = (1, 1, 1), α3 = (1, 0, 0). What are the
coordinates of (a, b, c) in the ordered basis B?
Sol: Let co-ordinates are c1 , c2 , and c3 , which means (a, b, c) = c1 (1, 0, −1) + c2 (1, 1, 1) + c3 (1, 0, 0). That impleis

(a, b, c) = (c1 + c2 + c3 , c2 , −c1 + c2 )

Comparing both sides, we get c2 = b, c1 = b − c, c3 = a − 2b + c. Hence co-ordinate of vector (a, b, c) w.r.t. given
basis {α1 , α2 , α3 } is (c1 , c2 , c3 ) = (b − c, b, a − 2b + c).
13. Let α = (x1 , x2 ) and β = (y1 , y2 ) be vectors in R2 such that x1 y1 + x2 y2 = 0 and x21 + x22 = y12 + y22 = 1 Show
that B = {α, β} is a basis for R2 . Find the coordinates of (a, b) in this ordered basis. What do the conditions mean
geometrically?
Sol: First we will show that vectors α and β are linearly independent. For that consider
   
x1 x2
c1 α + c2 β = c1 + c2 =0
y1 y2
    
x1 x2 c1 0
=⇒ =
y1 y2 c2 0
This system only have zero solution (i.e., (c1 , c2 ) = (0, 0)) as determinant of the coefficient matrix is not zero. Note
that determinant is
 
−x2 y2
x1 y2 − x2 y1 = y2 − x2 y1 (from first given condition)
y1
x2
−y22 − y12 )


=
y1
x2
= − (from second given condition)
y1

This is equal to zero, when x2 = 0 (and y1 ̸= 0) but then second given condition says x1 = ±1 and then from first
condition y1 = 0 and again from second condition y2 = ±1. Hence determinant is not zero.
   
x 2 x
For spanning, let consider ∈ R . We have to show that there exist a pair (c1 , c2 ) such that =
    y y
x1 x2
c1 + c2 . That is true as
y1 y2
   −1  
c1 x1 x2 x
= .
c2 y1 y2 y

Geometrically first given condition x1 y1 + x2 y2 = 0 tells vectors α and β are orthogonal as their slopes satisfies
m1 m2 = xx21 yy21 = −1 and the second condition x21 + x22 = y12 + y22 = 1 tells that the vectors are unit vectors.