Lay, Lay, McDonald Linear Algebra and its Applications, 6th ed.

Section 1.3
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Vector Equations
Section 1.3,

Computational Linear Algebra

Brian Curtin
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University of South Florida

Section 1.3,
28
 Column Vectors
A column vector, often just called a vector, is a matrix with a single
column. A matrix with a single row is a row vector. The entries of a
vector are sometimes called components. A column or row vector
whose components
  are
 allzeros is a zero vector.
1 0
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ωv =  2 , ω0 =  0 
3 0
Section 1.3,

Column vectors are equal when they have the same size and same
(ordered) components.
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Section 1.3,
29
 Combinations of column vectors
The vector sum of ωu and ωv is the vector of the sums.
     
u1 v1 u1 + v1
ωu +ωv =  ...  +  ...  =  ... 
     

un vn un + vn
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The scalar multiplication of the real number rand  the vector ωv is the
v1 rv1
Section 1.3,

r ·ωv = r ·  ...  =  ... 

   
vector of the multiples.
vn  rvn  
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        1 3
1 2 1+2 3  2   6 
 →1 + 2 =  →1 + 2 = 1 3·   
 3 = 9 
0 4 0+4 4
Section 1.3,

→2 →6
30
 Vectors
Geometric/Physics perspective:
A vector is an object consisting of a magnitude and a direction.

ωv ωw ωx
Model vectors as arrows in space.
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Two vectors with the same magnitude and same direction are equal.
Section 1.3,

Can form equivalence classes of arrows according to length and

direction to view di!erent arrows as same vectors.
Can interpret vectors as ’displacement’, describing movement.
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Section 1.3,
31
 Vectors (arrows) and vectors (columns)
Correspondence between our two notions of vector: + ,
w1 → v 1
Denote vector extending from (v1 , v2 ) to (w1 , w2 ) by
w2 → v 2

When there is no other starting point, we draw vectors starting at the

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origin.
+ ,
1
ωv =
2
Section 1.3,

+ ,
v1
Then ωv = has arrow at point (v1 , v2 ).
v2
Denote the
vector that extends from (v1 , . . . , vn ) to (w1 , , . . . wn ) by
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
w1 → v1
 .. 
 . 
Section 1.3,

wn → vn
32

May Identify both column vectors of size n and n-tuples as Rn .

 Vectors operations

Add: Compute sum as third side of head-to-tail triangle.

ωx
ωv ωv +ωx
ωx
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Scale: keep direction, multiply length by scalar

(reverse direction for negative scalar).
Section 1.3,

1
2ωv
→ωx ωx ωv ωx 3ωx

The set {s ·ωv | s ↑ R } is a line through the origin:

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Section 1.3,

ωv
33
 Properties
For all u, v, w ↑ Rn and scalars c, d:

1. u + v = v + u (commutativity)
2. (u + v) + w = u + (v + w) (associativity)
3. u + 0 = 0 + u = u (0 is identity)
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4. u + (→u) = →u + u = 0 where →u = →1u (additive inverses)

5. c(u + v) = cu + cv (distributivity)
Section 1.3,

6. (c + d)u = cu + du (distributivity)
7. c(du) = (cd)u
8. 1u = u.
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Section 1.3,
34
 Linear Combinations
By a linear combination of vector v1 , . . . , vp in Rn , we mean a sum
y = c1 v1 + · · · cp vp , where c1 , . . . , cp are scalars.

Given a linear combination c1 v1 + · · · + cp vp , the weights or

coe"cients are the scalars c1 , . . . , cp .
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3v2
Section 1.3,

→v1 +2v2
2v2
v1 +2v2
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v2 3v1 +2v2
v1 + v2
→ v1
0
Section 1.3,

v1
2v1
35

→ v2 3v1
 Linear Combination Question
     
0 →1 2
Is  1  a linear combination of  1  and →1?
→1   
→1  1
0 →1s 2t
Can we find s and t st  1  =  1s  + →1t?
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→1 →1s 1t
     
0 →1 2
Section 1.3,

Is  1  in {s ·  1  + t · →1 | s, t ↑ R }?
→1 →1 1
- -
- →s + 2t = 0 -
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- -
Solve -- s → t = 1 --
- →s + t = →1 -
 
→1 2 0
Section 1.3,

 1 →1 1  We recognize the columns!

36

→1 1 →1
 Question, continued
     
0 →1 2
Is  1  a linear combination of  1  and →1?
→1 →1 
1

→1 2 0
Reduce matrix to solve corresponding system:  1 →1 1 
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→1 1 →1
Note:
 more equations
  than variables, somaynot be possible.
→1 2 0 →1 2 0 →1 0 →2
Section 1.3,

 1 →1 1 ↓ 0 1 1 ↓ 0 1 1 
→
 1 1 →1 0 → 1 → 1 0 0 0
1 0 2
1s + 0t = 2
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↓ 0 1 1  .
0s + 1t = 1
0 0  0     
0 →1 2
Section 1.3,

Yes. In fact  1  = 2  1  + →1

37

→1 →1 1
 Vector equations
A vector equation
x1ωa1 + · · · + xnωan = ωb
has the same solution set as linear system with augmented matrix
[ωa1 · · · ωan |ωb].
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ωb is a linear combination of ωa1 , . . . , ωan if and only if there exists a

solution to the linear system with the above matrix.
Section 1.3,

Both sides of vector equation are vectors. Look at the ith component
of each: x1 ai1 + · · · xn ain = bi . This is equation corresponding to ith
row of augmented matrix
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Section 1.3,
38
 Span

The subset of Rn spanned (or generated) by a collection of vectors v1 ,

. . . , vp in Rn is the set of all linear combinations of v1 , . . . , vp ; the
collection of all vectors that can be written in the form
c1 v1 + · · · + cp vp with c1 , . . . , cp scalars.
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span(v) is all scalar multiples of v.

If v = 0, it is just the origin. Otherwise, is is a line.
Section 1.3,

span(u, v) is all linear combinations of u andv.

If u = v = 0, it is just the origin. If one is a multiple of the other, it is a
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line. Otherwise it is a plane.

Section 1.3,
39
 Example
   
1 2
What is the span of 2 and 4?
4 0
     
3 1 2
Is →6 in the plane determined by 2 and 4?
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 5     
4 0
3 1 2
Is →6 in the span of 2 and 4
Section 1.3,

5 4 0
Reduce
 matrixto solve
 corresponding
 system:
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1 2 3 1 2 3
 2 4 →6  ↓  0 0 →12 
4 0 5 4 0 5
Stop here. Have 0 = →12, no solution. So not in plane.
Section 1.3,
40
Page 13
MATLAB

Is f alinear combination
 of the columns of the matrix E?
1 2 9 7
E =  2 8 3 8 ; f=[1;1;1]; G = rref([E,f])
6 4 0 6
Section 1.3,

 
1.0000 0 0 .5714 .1250
G =  0 1.000 0 .6429 .0625 
0 0 1.000 .6174 .0833
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Yes. There are infinitely many ways to do so.

Section 1.3,
41