M341 - Linear Algebra and Matrix Theory

Assignment 1
Kurt Scherer
Aug 25 - Aug 27
1.1: 10, 23, 24d (Fundamental Operations with Vectors)

Section 1.1
#10 A certain clock has a minute hand that is 10cm long. Find the vector representing the dis-
placement of the tip of the minute hand of the clock.

(a) From 12 PM to 12:15 PM

Displacement:
12:00 - x~1 = [0, 10] ~x2 − ~x1 = [10, 0] − [0, 10]
 
12:15 - ~x2 = [10, 0] = (10 − 0), (0 − 10)
= [10, −10]

(b) From 12 PM to 12:40 PM

Dividing a clock into 12 pieces gives each 5 minute interval a value of 2π π

12 , or 6 .
The triangle formed by the 30 and 40 minute marks would have an angle of π3 .
Treating the 30-minute line as the y-axis, the minute hand at 40 would be the
hypotenuse of a right triangle.

x  π y  π
= sin = cos
10 3 10 3
√
x 3 y 1
= =
10 2 10 2
√
x=5 3 y=5
 
~x1 = 0, 10
h √ i
~x2 = − 5 3, −5 (Negative because ~x2 is in the third quadrant)
h √ i
~x2 − ~x1 = 5 3, 5 − [0, 10]
h √
i
= − 5 3 − 0 , (−5 − 10)
h √ i
= − 5 3, −15

(c) From 12 PM to 1 PM

Although the minute hand moves, the net displacement of the vector is zero, as
it finishes where it started.
=0

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 M341 - Linear Algebra and Matrix Theory
Assignment 1
Kurt Scherer
Aug 25 - Aug 27
#23 Prove Theorem 1.1
THEOREM 1.1: Let ~x ∈ Rn , and let c be any real number (scalar). Then kc~xk = |c| k~xk.
That is, the length of c~x is the absolute value of c times the length of ~x.

Assume ~x = [x1 , . . . , xn−1 , xn ] and c ∈ R. Then

c~x = [cx1 , . . . , xn ], by the definition of scalar multiplication of vectors.
p
kc~xk = (cx1 )2 + · · · + (cxn )2 , by the definition of the length of vectors.
√
kc~xk = c2 x1 2 + · · · + c2 xn 2 , by the power of a product property of exponents.
p
kc~xk = c2 (x1 2 + · · · + xn 2 ), by the distributive property of addition.
√ √
kc~xk = c2 x1 2 + · · · + xn 2 , by the power of a product property of exponents.
√
kc~xk = |c| x1 2 + · · · + xn 2 , by the definition of a square root.
kc~xk = |c|kxk, by the definition of the length of vectors.

#24d Prove part (7) of Theorem 1.3

THEOREM 1.3: Let ~x = [x1 , . . . , xn ], ~y = [y1 , . . . , yn ], and ~z = [z1 , . . . , zn ] be any vectors
in Rn , and let c and d be any real numbers (scalars). Let ~0 represent the
zero vector in Rn . Then
···
(7) (cd)~x = c(d~x)
···

Assume ~x = [x1 , · · · , xn ] and c, d ∈ R. Then

(cd)~x = [(cd)x1 , · · · , (cd)xn ], by the definition of scalar multiplication of vectors.
(cd)~x = [c(dx1 ), · · · , c(dxn )], by the associative property of multiplication.
(cd)~x = c[dx1 , · · · , dxn ], by the definition of scalar multiplication of vectors.
(cd)~x = c(d~x), by the definition of scalar multiplication of vectors.

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 M341 - Linear Algebra and Matrix Theory
Assignment 1
Kurt Scherer
Aug 25 - Aug 27
1.2: 1a, 9, 15b, 23 (The Dot Product)

Section 1.2
#1a Use a calculator to find the angle θ (to the nearest degree) between the following given vectors
~x and ~y :

(a) ~x = [−4, 3], ~y = [6, −1]

~x · ~y
cos θ =
k~xk k~y k
[−4, 3] · [6, −1]
cos θ = p p
(−4) + (3)2 (6)2 + (−1)2
2

(−4)(6) + (3)(−1)
cos θ = √ √
25 37
− 27
cos θ = √
5 37
!
− 27
θ = cos−1 √
5 37
θ ≈ 153◦

#9 Prove that if (~x + ~y ) · (~x − ~y ) = 0, then k~xk = k~y k. (Hence, if the diagonals of a parallel-
ogram are perpendicular, then the parallelogram is a rhombus.)

Assume ~x = [x1 , . . . , xn ] and ~y = [y1 , . . . , yn ]. Then

(~x + ~y ) · (~x − ~y ) = ~x · (~x − ~y ) + ~y · (~x − ~y ), by distributive laws of dot product.
(~x + ~y ) · (~x − ~y ) = ~x · ~x − ~x · ~y + ~y · ~x − ~y · ~y , by distributive laws of dot product.
(~x + ~y ) · (~x − ~y ) = ~x · ~x − ~x · ~y + ~y · ~x − ~y · ~y , by elementary laws of arithmetic.
(~x + ~y ) · (~x − ~y ) = ~x · ~x − ~y · ~y
(~x + ~y ) · (~x − ~y ) = k~xk2 − k~y k2 , by relationship between dot product and length.
Assume (~x + ~y ) · (~x − ~y ) = 0. Then
k~xk2 − k~y k2 = 0, and
k~xk2 = k~y k2 , by elementary laws of algebra.

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 M341 - Linear Algebra and Matrix Theory
Assignment 1
Kurt Scherer
Aug 25 - Aug 27
−−−−→ −−−−→
#15b Calculate proja b and verify ~b − proja b is orthogonal to ~a.

(a) ~a = [2, 1, 5], ~b = [1, 4, −3]

!  !
~a · ~b
 
2,1,5 · 1,4,−3  
2
~a = √ 2
2 2, 1, 5
k~ak (2) +(1)2 +(5)2

−9  
= √
2 2, 1, 5
30
3 
=− 2, 1, 5
10
" #
3 3 3
= − ,− ,−
5 10 2

Orthogonality Test:
      h 3 3 3i
2, 1, 5 · 1, 4, −3 − 2, 1, 5 · − , − , −
! 5 10 2
6 3 15
(2 + 4 − 15) − − − −
5 10 2
(−9) − (−9)
=0

4
 M341 - Linear Algebra and Matrix Theory
Assignment 1
Kurt Scherer
Aug 25 - Aug 27
#23 True of False:

(a) For any vectors ~x, ~y in Rn , and any scalar d, ~x · (d~y ) = (d~x) · ~y .
True
~x · ~y
(b) For all ~x, ~y in Rn with ~x 6= ~0, ≤ k~y k.
k~xk
True
(c) For all ~x, ~y in Rn , k~x − ~y k ≤ k~xk − k~y k
False
π
(d) If θ is the angle between vectors ~x and ~y in Rn , and θ > , then ~x · ~y > 0.
2
False
(e) The standard unit vectors in Rn are mutually orthogonal.
True
−−−−→
(f) If proja b = ~b, then ~a is perpendicular to ~b.
False