O RDINARY EXAM

Linear Algebra and Optimisation

Autumn 2023
IT University of Copenhagen

January 8, 2024

Instructions

• This is a 4 hour written exam with all written and printed aids allowed (A33)

• There are 8 problems and 4 pages.

• Each problem is divided into questions

• The point value of each problem and the distribution of points among questions is given explicitly.

• There is a total of 100 points to be earned.

• The problems are formulated in english and should be answered in english.

• Read each question completely before trying to solve it.

• Please order and number the pages before handing in.

• Solutions must be hand-written

• Access to aid in the form of books, own notes, e-books, also on laptops and iPads is permitted.

• Use of internet including email and social media is not permitted.

• Use of any other hardware or software such as MatLab or pocket calculators is not permitted

• Any form of communication between students or with the outside world is not permitted.

• Any use of AI technology is not permitted.

1
1 Systems of linear equations (15 points)

a) [10 points] Compute the set of solutions to the following system of linear equations.

4w − 8x + 4y = 24
2w − 4x + y + 3z = 8
3w − 6x + 2y + 3z = 14

For the next question consider the matrix

 
4 −8 4 0
A = 2 −4 1 3
3 −6 2 3

b) [5 points] Compute the rank and the dimensions of the row and column space of A. Give a basis for
the null space of A.

2 Subspaces (8 points)
Consider the following subset of P2 , the vector space of polynomials of degree at most 2:

V = {p ∈ P2 | 0 ≤ p(1) ≤ 1}

a) [8 points] Is V a subspace of P2 ? Argue for your answer.

3 Span and linear independence (20 points)

Consider the following four matrices

       
3 2 2 −1 0 7 1 2
A= B= C= D=
1 1 3 0 −7 2 0 1

We will consider these matrices as vectors in the vector space M2,2 of 2 × 2 matrices.

a) [5 points] Is C in Span({A, B})? Argue for your answer

b) [10 points] Are A, B, D linearly independent? Argue for your answer.

Now, let E = 4B − 2A.

c) [5 points] Is Span({E}) a subset of Span({A, B})? In other words, is any element in Span({E})
also an element in Span({A, B})? Argue for your answer

2
4 Bases (8 points)
Consider the following three vectors in R4 :

     
2 1 1
2 1 5
u=
4
 v=
3
 w=
12


8 −2 8

a) [8 points] Compute a basis for Span({u, v, w})

5 PageRank (9 points)
Consider the web consisting of 5 pages with links as indicated in the below diagram.

1 2 5

3 4

a) [9 points] Construct the matrix M for which the page ranking for the above web is an eigenvector
for eigenvalue 1. The matrix should take dangling nodes into account and should use damping factor 0.
Note that you are not asked to compute the eigenvector of M .

3
6 Gradients (20 points)
For this problem, consider the function f defined as
1
f (x, y) = (x3 − y 2 )5
5

a) [6 points] Compute the gradient of f

Now, let  
−1
C = (x, y) f (x, y) =
5
√

and let l be the tangent line to C at the point 1, 2 .

√
b) [7 points] For which values of x is the point (x, 2 2) on l?
√
Let g(t) = (e2t , 2(t + 1)2 ), and let h(t) = (f ◦ g)(at) for some real number a.

c) [7 points] Suppose h′ (0) = −4. What is a?

7 Optimisation (10 points)

a) [10 points] Find the critical points for f (x, y) = y 3 + 4xy − 2x2 . Decide for each one of these if it
is a local minimum, local maximum, or a saddle point

8 Double integrals (10 points)

Consider the region D in the plane containing the points (x, y) satisfying 1 ≤ x ≤ 3 and 0 ≤ xy ≤ 1.
Consider the function f (x, y) = xexy .
RR
a) [10 points] Compute the double integral D f (x, y)dA.