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Linear Algebra 18 Span and Linear Independence

The document discusses span and linear independence in vector spaces. It defines the span of vectors as the set of all possible linear combinations of those vectors. A set of vectors spans a vector space if their span is the entire space. A set of vectors is linearly dependent if there exist scalar multiples of the vectors that sum to the zero vector, and linearly independent otherwise. The document provides examples to illustrate these concepts of span and linear independence.

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Jamaica Cuyno Soliano
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189 views10 pages

Linear Algebra 18 Span and Linear Independence

The document discusses span and linear independence in vector spaces. It defines the span of vectors as the set of all possible linear combinations of those vectors. A set of vectors spans a vector space if their span is the entire space. A set of vectors is linearly dependent if there exist scalar multiples of the vectors that sum to the zero vector, and linearly independent otherwise. The document provides examples to illustrate these concepts of span and linear independence.

Uploaded by

Jamaica Cuyno Soliano
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Math 114 | Linear Algebra

Span and Linear


Independence
Span
Let v1, v2, . . . , vn be vectors in the vector space V. The span
of these vectors, denoted by span {v1, v2, . . . , vn }, is the subset
of V consisting of all possible linear combinations of these
vectors, i.e.,
span {v1, v2, . . . , vn } = {c1v1 + c2v2 + . . . + cnvn | ci are scalars}

Example
1. Let 𝑆 = 𝑡 2 , 𝑡, 1 be a subset of P2. Show that span S = P2.
2. Consider the set S of 2 × 3 matrices given by

2
Theorem 3
Let v1, v2, . . . , vn be vectors in the vector space V. Then
W = span {v1, v2, . . . , vn }, is a subspace of V.

3
Spanning Set
If W = span{v1, v2, . . . , vn }, we say that {v1, v2, . . . , vn} is a
spanning set for the vector space W, and that W is spanned by
the vectors v1, v2, . . . , vn.

Example
2 1
1. In ℝ3 , let 𝐯1 = 1 , and 𝐯2 = −1 . Determine whether
1 3
1
the vector 𝐯 = 5 belongs to span{v1, v2}.
−7

4
2. In 𝑃2 , let 𝐯1 = 2𝑡 2 + 𝑡 + 2, 𝐯2 = 𝑡 2 − 2𝑡, 𝐯3 = 5𝑡 2 − 5𝑡 + 2,
𝐯4 = −𝑡 2 − 3𝑡 − 2. Determine whether the vector 𝐯 = 𝑡 2 + 𝑡 + 2
belongs to span{v1, v2, v3, v4}.

5
Theorem 4
Let v1, v2, . . . , vn be vectors in the vector space V and w1, w2, . . . , wn
be vectors in span{v1, v2, . . . , vn }. Then
span {w1, w2, . . . , wn } ⊆ span{v1, v2, . . . , vn}.

6
Example
Show that

Why might one prefer the first spanning set?

7
Linearly Dependent or Independent Vectors
The vectors v1, v2, . . . , vn are said to be lineary dependent if
there exist scalars c1, c2, …, cn not all zero, such that
c1v1 + c2v2 + . . . + cnvn = 0. (1)
Otherwise, the vectors are called linearly independent.
Example
Show that any list of vectors that contains the zero vector is
linearly dependent.

8
Example 3 1 −1
Determine whether the vectors 𝐯1 = 2 , 𝐯2 = 2 , 𝐯3 = 2 are
1 3 −1
linearly independent.

9
Exercises
3 1 −1
1. Show that 𝑆 = 2 , 2 , 2 is linearly independent set
1 3 −1
in ℝ3 .
1 2 1 0
2. 0 −1 0 0 derived from (1). Is the set linearly
0 0 2 0
independent? Explain/Show.
3. For what values of c are the vectors
−1 0 −1 , 2 1 2 and 1 1 𝒄 in ℝ3 linear
dependent? Explain/Show.

10

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