MAT 211: Linear Algebra

Practice Midterm 2

Stony Brook University Spring 2019

Dzmitry Dudko

A few remarks:

Theorem. Let A be an n × n matrix. The following statements are equivalent:

1. A is invertible.

2. Ax = b has a unique solution for every vector b ∈ Rn .

3. Ax = 0 has only the trivial solution.

4. rank(A) = n.

5. det(A) 6= 0.

6. 0 is not an eigenvalue of A.

Recall that

rank(A) = dim col(A) = dim row(A) = n − dim null(A).

If A is an n × n matrix, then rank(A) = n if and only if the row vectors of A form a basis for
Rn , or, equivalently, the column vectors of A form a basis for Rn . More details in Syllabus,
March 14 Lecture.
Remember that

   R2 − R1   
1 0 0  0 1 0 0  0
R − R1
1 1 1  0  3

0 1 1  0
 
1 1 1 0 0 1 1  0

is a composition of elementary row operations, because we may rewrite:

        
1 0 0  0 1 0 0  0 1 0 0  0
R − R1 R − R1
1 1 1  0  2 0 1 1  0  3

0 1 1  0 ,
  
1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1  0

but
   R3 − R2   
1 0 0  0 1 0 0  0
R − R3
1 1 1  0  2

0 0 0  0
 
1 1 1 0 0 0 0  0

is not a composition of elementary row operations; this is not allowed in the elimination
method.

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 Problem 1. Solve the following system of linear equations
  
1 1 1 1  4
 1 2 3 4  10 
 1 3 6 10  20  .
  

1 4 10 20  35
 
1
1
Answer: 
1.


1
Solution. Using the elimination method:

R2 − R1
R3 − R1 1 1 R3 − 2R2
        
1 1 1 1  4 1 1  4 1 1 1 1  4
 R4 − R1  0 1  R4 − 3R2
1 2 3 4  10   2 3  6  0 1 2 3  6 
  
1 3 6 10  20  0 2 5 9  16  0 0 1 3  4 
1 4 10 20  35 0 3 9 19 31 0 0 3 10 13

R1 − R4
4 R2 − 3R4 1 1 R1 − R3
     
1 1 1 1  1 0  3
R4 − 3R3 
0 1 2 3  6 R3 − 3R4  0 1

 2 − 2R3
2 0  3  R
0 0 1 3  4  0 0 1 0 1

0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1
     
1 1 0 0  2 1 0 0 0  1
0
 1 0 0  1 R 1 − R2 0 1
 0 0  1 
.
0 0 1 0  1 0 0 1 0  1 
0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1

Problem 2. Give bases for row(A), col(A), null(A), where

 
1 1 0 1
1) A = 0 1 −1 1  ,
0 1 −1 −1
 
2 −4 0 2 1
2) A = −1 2 1 2 3 .
1 −2 1 4 4
Solution. Using elementary row operations:
     
1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1
R − R2 R /(−2)
1) 0 1 −1 1  3 0 1 −1 1  3 0 1 −1 1
0 1 −1 −1 0 0 0 −2 0 0 0 1

2
    
1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0
R1 − R2 R2 − R3
0 1 −1 1 0 1 −1 0 .
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
Therefore,
     
• 1 0 1 0 , 0 1 −1 1 , 0 0 0 1 is a basis for row(A).
       
1 1 1 1 1 0 1
• 0 , 1 ,  1  is a basis for col 0 1 −1 1 
0 1 −1 0 1 −1 −1
       
1 0 0 1 0 1 0
(because 0 , 1 , 0 is a basis for col 0 1 −1 0); and
0 0 1 0 0 0 1
 
−1
1
• 
 1  is a basis for null(A).


0
The rank of A is 3.

    R2 + R1
2 −4 0 2 1 1 −2 1 4 4
R ↔ R3 R − 2R1
2) −1 2 1 2 3 1 −1 2 1 2 3 3
1 −2 1 4 4 2 −4 0 2 1
   
1 −2 1 4 4 1 −2 1 4 4
R3 + R2 R2 /2
0 0 2 6 7 0 0 2 6 7
0 0 −2 −6 −7 0 0 0 0 0
   
1 −2 1 4 4 1 −2 0 1 1/2
R − R2
0 0 1 3 7/2 1 0 0 1 3 7/2 .
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Therefore,
   
• 1 −2 0 1 1/2 , 0 0 1 3 7/2 is a basis for row(A);
     
2 0 2 −4 0 2 1
• −1 , 1 is a basis for col −1 2 1 2 3
1 1 1 −2 1 4 4
     
1 0 1 −2 0 1 1/2
(because 0 , 1 is a basis for col 0 0 1 3 7/2 );
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
    
2 −1 −1/2
1  0   0 
    
•  0  , −3,−7/2 is a basis for null(A).
    
0  1   0 
0 0 1

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 Problem 3. Find all possible values of rank(A) as a varies
 
1 2 a
A = −2 4a 2 .
a −2 1

Answer. • if a = −1, then rank(A) = 1;

• if a = 2, then rank(A) = 2;

• otherwise rank(A) = 3.

Solution. Using the elimination method, we obtain:

  R2 + 2R1  
1 2 a 1 2 a
R3 − aR1
A = −2 4a 2 0 4a + 4 2 + 2a = B
a −2 1 0 −2 − 2a 1 − a2

Let us consider two cases.

Case 1: a = −1. Then the matrix B is equal to
 
1 2 a
0 0 0 .
0 0 0

Therefore, B (and hence A) has rank 1.

Case 2: a 6= −1. Then we divide the second and the third rows of B by 4a + 4 and
−2 − 2a respectively:

  R2 /(4a + 4)    
1 2 a 1 2 a 1 2 a
R /(−2 − a) R − R2
0 4a + 4 2 + 2a 3 0 1 1/2  = 0 1 1/2  3
(1−a)(1+a)
0 −2 − 2a 1 − a2 0 1 −2−2a
0 1 a−1
2
 
1 2 a
0 1 1/2  = C.
0 0 a−2
2
Let us again consider two cases.
Case 2a: a = 2. Then
   
1 2 a 1 2 a
0 1 1/2  = 0 1 1/2
0 0 a−2
2 0 0 0

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has rank 2.
Case 2b: a 6= 2. Then
   
1 2 a 1 2 a
R3 / a−2
2
0 1 1/2  0 1 1/2 .
a−2
0 0 2 0 0 1

The last matrix has rank 3.


a b
Problem 4. Find all 2 × 2 matrices such that
c d
     
a b 1 2 1 0 a b
= .
c d 0 0 2 0 c d

Answer: c and d are any numbers, while b = c and a = c/2. In other words, all matrices
have the form  
c/2 c
.
c d

Solution. Evaluating the products, we obtain:

   
a 2a a b
= .
c 2c 2a 2b

We need to solve the system of linear equations:

a =a
c = 2a
,
2a = b
2c = 2b
or:
0 =0
−2a + c =0
,
2a − b =0
−2b + 2c =0
or:   
0 0 0 0  0
 −2 0 1 0  0 
 2 −1 0 0  0  .
  

0 −2 2 0  0
Solving the system, we obtain that c, d can be taken to be any numbers, and b = c, a =
c/2.

Problem 5. Find a basis for the minimal subspace in R4 containing the points (1, −1, 0, 0),
(0, 1, 0, −1), (0, 0, −1, 1), (−1, 0, 1, 0).

5
      
Answer: 1 −1 0 0 , 0 1 0 −1 , 0 0 −1 1 .

Solution. We need to find a basis for

 
1 −1 0 0
       
0 1 0 −1
span 1 −1 0 0 , 0 1 0 −1 , 0 0 −1 1 , −1 0 1 0 = row  .
0 0 −1 1 
−1 0 1 0

Using the elimination method:

     
1 −1 0 0 1 −1 0 0 1 −1 0 0
0 −1  R4 + R1  R4 + R2
0 −1 0 −1
0 1 0 1 0 1
   
0 0 −1 1  0 0 −1 1  0 0 −1 1 
−1 0 1 0 0 −1 1 0 0 0 1 −1
 
1 −1 0 0
R4 + R3 
0 1 0 −1
0 0 −1 1  .


0 0 0 0
     
Therefore, 1 −1 0 0 , 0 1 0 −1 , 0 0 −1 1 is a basis.

Problem 6. Find a basis for the minimal subspace in R3 containing the point (0, 1, 1)
and the line      
x 1 1
y  = 0 + t 1 .
z 1 0

Answer: any basis of R3 . For example:

     
0 1 1
• 1 , 0 , 1; or
    
1 1 0
     
1 0 0
• 0 , 1 , 0
0 0 1

     
0 1 1
Solution. The subspace is equal to the span of 1 , 0 , 1 – these are linearly indepen-
1 1 0
dent vectors.

Problem 7. Let u, v be a basis for R2 . Show that

1) u + v, u + v is not a basis for R2 ;

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 2) u + v, v is a basis for R2 ;

3) u + v, u − v is a basis for R2 .
Solution: 1) Since (u + v) − 1(u + v) = 0, the vectors u + v, u + v are linearly dependent;
thus they do not form a basis.

2) Let us show that u + v, v are linearly independent. Suppose

c1 (u + v) + c2 v = 0.

Then
c1 u + (c1 + c2 )v = 0.
Since u and v are linearly independent, we obtain that c1 = 0 and c1 + c2 = 0. This
implies that c1 = c2 = 0, which shows that u, v are linearly independent.

3) Let us show that u + v, u − v are linearly independent. Suppose

c1 (u + v) + c2 (u − v) = 0.

Then
(c1 + c2 )u + (c1 − c2 )v = 0.
Since u and v are linearly independent, we obtain

c1 + c2 = 0

c1 − c2 = 0.
Solving the last system of linear equations, we obtain c1 = c2 = 0.
Remark: vectors u, v are linearly independent if and only if u + cv, v are linearly inde-
pendent for every c (the same argument as in 2) ). Similarly, u, v, w are linearly independent
if and only if u + cv, v, w are linearly independent for every c; and so on.

Problem 8. Are the following transformations linear?

     
x 1 x−y
1) T =x +7 ,
y 2 3
     
x 1 y
2) K =x + ,
y 2+y x
   
x y
3) S = .
y |x|
Answer: 1) no, 2) no, 3) no.
     
0 0 0
Solution. 1) T = 6= , hence T is not a linear transformation. (If T was a
0 21 0
   
0 0
linear transformation, then we would have T = .)
0 0

7
        
2 4 1 4
2) K = 6= 2K = .
2 10 1 8
       
1 −1 0 0
3) S +S = 6= . (If S was a liner transformation, then we would have
0 0 2 0
       
1 −1 0 0
S +S =S = .)
0 0 0 0

An example of a linear transformation:

     
x 1 x−y
N =x +7
y 2 y

because     
x 8 −7 x
N =
y 2 7 y
(the standard form).

Problem 9. Let F be the linear transformation from R3 to R3 such that F reflects a

vector in the x-axis. Compute the standard matrix of F .

Solution. Reflecting a vector in the x-axis means negating the y and z-coordinates. So
      
x x 1 0 0 x
F y  = −y  = 0 −1 0  y  .
z −z 0 0 −1 z

Problem 10. Compute the determinant of

 
1 −1 0 3
2 5 2 6
A= 0 1
.
0 0
1 4 2 1

Answer: 4.

Solution 1. Expanding along the second row, and then along the first row we obtain:
 
1 −1 0 3  
  1 0 3    
2 5 2 6  2 6  2 2
det(A) = 
  = −1 2 2 6 = −1 
 
 − 3 1 2 =
  
0 1 0 0 2 1

1 2 1
1 4 2 1

−(2 − 12) − 3(4 − 2) = 10 − 6 = 4

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Solution 2. Using the elimination method:

R1 + R3
1 −1 0 3 R2 − 2R1
    R2 − 7R3
1 −1 0 3 
2 5 2 6 R4 − R1 0 7 2 0  R4 − 5R3
   
det(A) =   =   =
0 1 0 0

0 1 0 0 
 
1 4 2 1 0 5 2 −2

 R /2
0 3  2
  
1 0 1 0 0 3 
R4 /2 R −R
1 0  4 = 2
 
0 0 2 0  = 0 0

0 4 
 1 0 0  0 1 0 0 
0 0 2 −2 0 0 1 −1

 R + 3R4
0 3  1
  
1 0 1 0 0 0 
R ↔R
1 0  2 = 3
 
0 0 0 1 0 0 
4  − 4  = 4.
0 1 0 0  0 0 1 0 
0 0 0 −1 0 0 0 −1

Problem 11. Is the matrix

 
2 3 0
A = 1 −2 −1
2 0 −1

invertible? If yes, compute the inverse of A.

Solution. We have:

      R2 − 2R1
2 3 0  1 0 0 1 −2 −1  0 1 0
 0 1 0 1
 R ↔ R2  1 0 0  R3 − 2R1

 1 −2 −1 2 3 0
 
2 0 −1  0 0 1 2 0 −1  0 0 1
     
1 −2 −1  0 1 0 1 −2 −1  0 1 0
R2 − 2R3 −R2
0 7 2  1 −2 0   0 −1 0  1 2 −2 

0 4 1  0 −2 1 0 4 1  0 −2 1

   R1 + 2R2   
1 −2 −1  0 1 0 1 0 −1  −2 −3 4
R3 − 4R2 R1 + R3
0 1 0  −1 −2 2  0 1 0  −1 −2 2 
0 4 1  0 −2 1 0 0 1  4 6 −7
  
1 0 0  2 3 −3
0 1 0  −1 −2
 2 .
0 0 1 4 6 −7

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  
2 3 −3
Therefore, A−1 =  −1 −2 2  .
4 6 −7
The fact that A is invertible also follows from det(A) = 1.

Problem 12. Find all a such that the matrix

 
a 0 0
A = 1 a 0
0 1 a

is invertible.

Solution 1. Note that det(A) = a3 . Therefore, A is invertible if and only if a 6= 0.

Solution 2. If a = 0, then A is clearly not invertible.

If a 6= 0, then

R1 /a
   R2 /a   
a 0 0  1 0 0 1 0 0  1/a 0 0
R3 /a R − aR1
1 a 0  0 1 0   1/a 1 0  0 1/a 0  2
 
0 1 a 0 0 1 0 1/a 1  0 0 1/a
     
1 0 0  1/a 0 0 1 0 0  1/a 0 0
R − aR2
 0 1 0  −1/a2 1/a 0  3

0 1 0  −1/a2 1/a 0 ,
 
0 1/a 1  0 0 1/a 0 0 1  1/a3 −1/a2 1/a
 
1/a 0 0
−1
and A = −1/a
 2 1/a 0 .
1/a 3 2
−1/a 1/a

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