Student Number:

Surname:
First Name(s):

Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics

MAM2000W: 2LA (Linear Algebra)
Test 2 3 May 2023
Time : 1.5 hours Maximum marks: 52
Full marks: 50

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Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7 Q8 Q9 TOTAL

8 5 6 2 5 8 8 5 5 52

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   
1 2 3 0 1 2 3 0
3 
0 −1 0  6 10 0
 0 
Question 1. [8 points] Let A = 
0 6 10 0
 and U = 0
 0 0 1.
10 2 0 1  0 0 0 0
4 2 2 1 0 0 0 0
U is a row-echelon form of A. (You need not check this.)

(a) Write down a basis for RS(A). (No reason required.)

For instance {(1, 2, 3, 0), (0, 6, 10, 0), (0, 0, 0, 1)}

(b) Write down a basis for CS(A). (No reason required.)

      

 1 2 0 

 
For instance
 3  
    0
0 


 0  , 6 , 0
      

 10 2 1 

 

4 2 1

(c) Find the nullity and rank of A.

Nullity(A) = 1, Rank(A) = 3

(d) Find the nullity of AT .

Nullity(AT ) = 5 − 3 = 2

(e) Can every vector w ∈ R5 be expressed in the form w = Ax for this matrix A and some vector x?
Justify your answer.

No.

dim(R5 ) = 5, but dim(CS(A)) < 5.

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(f) Does Ax = Ay (for this matrix A) imply that x = y? Justify your answer.

No.

A possible justification:

We have Nullity(A) = 1. Hence N S(A) �= {0}.

It follows that the equation
Ax = 0
has more than one solution.

Hence there are distinct x and y such that Ax = Ay.

Question 2. [5 points] Let M2×2 (R) be the vector space of all 2 × 2 real matrices, with the usual
addition and scalar multiplication for matrices, and let
�� � � � � � � ��
1 0 0 1 0 1 2 0
S= , , , .
0 1 1 2 1 0 0 0

(a) Is S a basis for M2×2 ? Justify your answer.

S is not a basis for M2×2 (R).

� �
0 1
For instance, we can see that ∈
/ span(S).
2 0

Or we can show that S is not linearly independent.

(b) Find a basis for span(S).

�� � � � � ��
For instance
0 1 0 1 2 0
, ,
1 2 1 0 0 0

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(c) An incomplete description of span(S) is given below; there should be an equation in the place of
the dots. �� � �
a b
span(S) = ∈ M2×2 (R) : . . .
c d
Write down this equation.

b=c

Question 3. [6 points] Let  

1 0 −3
A = 3 −2 −3 .
0 0 −2

(a) Find det(A).

We may expand along the last row. We obtain

� �
�1 0 ��
det(A) = (−2) �� = (−2) · (−2) = 4
3 −2�

(b) Find all the eigenvalues of A.

det(A − λI3 ) = 0
� �
�1 − λ 0 −3 ��
�
� 3 −2 − λ −3 �� = 0
�
� 0 0 −2 − λ�
We expand along the last row and obtain
� �
�1 − λ 0 ��
(−2 − λ) �� =0
3 −2 − λ�

(−2 − λ)(1 − λ)(−2 − λ) = 0. Hence the eigenvalues are -2 and 1. (-2 is a repeated eigen-
value.)

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(c) Find all the eigenvectors corresponding to the largest eigenvalue of A.

The largest eigenvalue is λ = 1.

We have
   
1−λ 0 −3 0 0 −3
A = λI3 =  3 −2 − λ −3  
= 3 −3 −3
0 0 −2 − λ 0 0 −3

We solve the equation

(A − λI3 )x = 0
    
0 0 −3 x1 0
3 −3 −3  x2 = 0
 
0 0 −3 x3 0

It follows that

 
1
x = s 1 , s �= 0.
0

Question 4. [2 points] Let B be a skew-symmetric n × n matrix, where n is odd. Show that

det(B) = 0.

Since B is skew symmetric, it holds that B = −B T.

Hence
det(B) = det(−B T ). (*)

Because n is odd, we have det(−B T ) = − det(B T ) = − det(B).

Therefore, Eq. (*) implies
det(B) = − det(B)
2 det(B) = 0
det(B) = 0.

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Question 5. [5 points] Let

p1 (x) = x + 1, p2 (x) = x2 , p3 (x) = x3 + x

p4 (x) = x3 + x2 − 1, p5 (x) = x3 − 1, p6 (x) = x3 − x

and A = {p1 (x), p2 (x), p3 (x)}, B = {p1 (x), p3 (x), p5 (x)}.
From the list choose, if possible, a polynomial pi (x) (1 ≤ i ≤ 6) such that:

(a) A ∪ {pi (x)} is a basis for P3 . p6 (the only possible solution)

(b) B ∪ {pi (x)} is a basis for P3 . Impossible (since B is linearly dependent)

(c) A ∪ {pi (x)} is linearly dependent and B \ {pi (x)} is a basis for span(B). p5 (the only solution)

Write only one of p1 (x), p2 (x), p3 (x), p4 (x), p5 (x), p6 (x) or “Impossible” in the appropriate block. You
may use a polynomial more than once, or not at all.

Question 6. [8 points] Read the following proof and then answer the questions following it:

Proof: Let V be an n-dimensional vector space and S = {v1 , v2 , . . . , vn } a subset of V such that
span(S) = V . Suppose S is linearly dependent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(1)
Then there is an i such that vi can be written as a linear combination of the vectors in S \ {vi }. . (2)
It follows that V = span(S \ {vi }). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3)
But this gives a contradiction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (4)

(a) State the result proved here.

If V is an n-dimensional vector space and S a set in V with exactly n vectors such that
span(S) = V, then S is linearly independent (and hence is a basis for V).

(b) Explain how the statement at (3) follows from (2).

Suppose ∃µ1 , . . . , µi−1 , µi+1 , . . . , µn such that

vi = µ1 v1 + µ2 v2 + · · · + µi−1 vi−1 + µi+1 vi+1 + · · · + µn vn . (*)
Let u be any vector in V. Then ∃λ1 , λ2 , . . . , λn such that
u = λ 1 v 1 + · · · + λn v n .
We substitute vi using Eq. (*) and obtain
u = λ1 v1 + · · · + λi−1 vi−1 + λi (µ1 v1 + µ2 v2 + · · · + µi−1 vi−1 + µi+1 vi+1 + · · · +
µn vn ) + λi+1 vi+1 + · · · + λn vn .
It follows that V = span(S \ {vi }).

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(c) What is the contradiction referred to at (4)?

If V = span(S \ {vi }) then V equials the span of n-1 vectors, which is a contradiction
to the fact that V is n-dimensional.

(d) Suppose R is a subset of V such that span(R) = V , but that R is not a basis of V . For each of
the following statements, either prove it, or disprove it by giving a counter example:

(i) R has more than n elements.

This is true.

1.) Suppose that R has exactly n elements. Then by the result proved above,
R is a basis, contradiction.

2.) Suppose that R has less than n elements. Then span(R) �= V , contradiction.

Hence R must have more than n elements.

(ii) Every subset of R with n elements is a basis for V .

This is false. Counter example: Let V = R3 . Then dim(V) = 3.

Take        
 1 0 0 2 
R= 0 , 1 , 0 , 0 .
     
 
0 0 1 0
We have span(R) = V and R is not a basis for V.

We can see that the following 3-element subset of R is not a basis for V:
     
 1 0 2 
0 , 1 , 0
 
0 0 0

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Question 7. [8 points] Let the function T : P2 → P3 be defined by T (p(x)) = xp(x) − x2 p � (x), where
as usual p� denotes the derivative of p.

(a) Find T (p(x)) when p(x) = ax2 + bx + c.

We have p(x) = ax2 + bx + c and p� (x) = 2ax + b .

It follows that
T (p(x)) = x(ax2 + bx + c) − x2 (2ax + b)

= −ax3 + cx.

(b) Show that T is a linear transformation.

T preserves addition: Let a1 x2 + b1 x + c1 and a2 x2 + b2 x + c2 be any vectors in P2.

Then we have
T ((a1 x2 + b1 x + c1 ) + (a2 x2 + b2 x + c2 )) = T ((a1 + a2 )x2 + (b1 + b2 )x + (c1 + c2 ))

= −(a1 + a2 )x3 + (c1 + c2 )x

and equal
2 2 3 3
T (a1 x + b1 x + c1 ) + T (a2 x + b2 x + c2 ) = −a1 x + c1 x + (−a2 x + c2 x)

T preserves scalar multiplication: Let ax2 + bx + c be any vector in P2 and λ any scalar.
Then we have
T (λ(ax2 + bx + c)) = T (λax2 + λbx + λc) = −(λa)x3 + (λc)x
and equal
λ · T (λ(ax2 + bx + c)) = λ(−ax3 + cx)

(c) Find ker(T ). Show your working.

We need to find a, b, c such that

T (ax2 + bx + c) = −ax3 + cx = 0
Hence
a = c = 0.
Therefore,
ker(T ) = {bx | b ∈ R} .

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(d) Is T one-to-one? Give a reason for your answer.

T is not one-to-one because ker(T ) �= {0}.

(e) Give, if possible, an example of an element of P3 which is not in the range of T .

For instance the polynomial x2.

� �
0 1
Question 8. [5 points] Let A = and V be the vector space of all 2 × 2 matrices.
2 3
Define
S = {B ∈ V : BA = AB}.
Answer the following questions, giving reasons for all your answers.
(a) Is S closed under scalar multiplication?

S is closed under scalar multiplication:

Let B be any element in S.

Then BA = AB.
It follows that for any scalar λ ,

(λB)A = λ(BA) = λ(AB) = A(λB).

Hence λB ∈ S.

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(b) Is S closed under addition?

S is closed under addition:

Let B1 and B2 be any elements in S.

Then B1 A = AB1 and B2 A = AB2 .

It follows that
(B1 + B2 )A = B1 A + B2 A = AB1 + AB2 = A(B1 + B2 ).
Hence
B1 + B2 ∈ S.

(c) Is S a subspace of V ?

1.) S is non-empty because it contains (for instance) the matrix I2 .

2.) S is closed under scalar multiplication.

3.) S is closed under addition.

It follows that S is a subspace of V.

Question 9. [5 points]
    
 1 1 
(a) Find a matrix A such that CS(A) = span 0 , 2 and RS(A) = span{(1, 0, 1), (1, 2, 0)}.
 
 
1 0

We can for instance take the matrix

   
1 1 � � 2 2 1
1 0 1
A = 0 2 = 2 4 0 .
1 2 0
1 0 1 0 1

There are many other matrices with these properties.

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   
 1 1 
(b) Why is it not possible to find a matrix A such that N S(A) = span 0 , 2 and RS(A) =
 
 
1 0
span{(1, 0, 1), (1, 2, 0)}?

Suppose A is a matrix with these properties.

Because RS(A) = span{ (1, 0, 1), (1, 2, 0) }, A must have 3 columns.

On the other hand, the number of columns in A equals

Rank(A) + Nullity(A) = 2 + 2 = 4.

This is a contradiction.

Therefore, such a matrix A does not exist.

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