Linear Algebra Fall 2023

Homework 9

Đỗ Thu An

Section 4.8
4a.

Solution.
To determine whether b is in the column space of A, we need to see whether the
expression Ax = b is consistent. To do so, we conduct Gaussian elimination:
   
1 −1 1 2 1 −1 1 2
 R2 ←R2 +R1 
−1 1 −1 0 −−− −− − −→ 0 0 0 2
 
  
R3 ←R3 +R1
−1 −1 1 0 0 −2 2 2
   
1 −1 1 2 R ←1R 1 −1 1 2
R2 ⇔R3   2 2 2 
−−−−→ 0 −2 2 2 −−−−−→ 0 −1 1 1

0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2
   
1 0 0 1 R ←1R 1 0 0 1
R ←R −R2   3 3 
−−1−−−1−−→ 0 1 −1 −1 −−−−2−→ 0 1 −1 −1

R2 ←−R2
0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1
 
1 0 0 0
R1 ←R1 −R2 
−−−−−−−→ 0 1 −1 0

R2 ←R2 +R3
0 0 0 1

In the last row, 0 = 1 (False), thus, the system is inconsistent. Hence, b is not in
the column space of A.

9a.

Solution.
To find bases for the null space and row space of A, we convert the matrix to RREF

1
form:
     
1 −1 3 1 −1 3 1 0 −16
 R2 ←R2 −5R1   R ←R +R2 
5 −4 −4 −− −−−−−→ 0 1 −19 −−1−−−1−−→ 0 1 −19
 
7 −6 2 7 −6 2 0 1 −19
   
1 0 −16 1 0 −16
R3 ←R3 −7R1   R3 ←R3 −R2 
−−−−−−−→ 0 1 −19 −−−−−−−→ 0 1 −19

0 1 −19 0 0 0

The basis for the row space is the non-zero rows in the RREF matrix:
h i h i
basis = 1 0 −16 , 0 1 −19

The basis for the null space is obtained by solving the homogenous expression Ax =
0:     
1 0 −16 x1 0
0 1 −19   2  0
x =
    

0 0 0 x3 0
( (
x1 − 16x3 = 0 x1 = 16x3
⇒
x2 − 19x3 = 0 x2 = 19x3
Thus,    
x1 16
x2  = x3 19
   
x3 1
or,  

16
basis null (A) = 19
1

TF.
d. False. The basis for the row space of matrix A is the set of linearly independent
row vectors from A that span the entire row space. Hence, the nonzero row forms a
basis for the row space of A if they are linearly independent.

g. True. The rows of E are linear combinations of the standard basis vectors (since
E is an elementary matrix). Therefore, the product matrix EA results in a linear
combination of the rows of A.

Since the row space of A consists of all possible linear combinations of its row vectors,
the row space of EA will also be the same as the row space of A.

Section 4.9
1a.

2
Solution.
We conduct the following row operation to obtain REF form:

1. R2 ← R2 − 2R1

2. R3 ← R3 − 3R1

3. R4 ← R4 − 4R1

Thus,  
1 2 −1 1
0 0 0 0
 
REF (A) = 
0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0
From the REF of matrix A, we can find the rank and nullity:

• rank (A) = 1

• null (A) = 4 − 1 = 3

9b.
Solution.
Given the information:

1. Size of A is 3 × 3.

2. Rank of A is 2.
 
3. Rank of A | b is 3.

i.

• dim of row space of A = dim of column space of A = rank (A) = 2.

• dim of null space of A = number of column space of A − rank (A) = 3 − 2 = 1.

• dim of null space of A⊺ = number of column space of A − rank (A) = 3 − 2 = 1.

 
ii. rank (A) = 2 ̸= 3 = rank A | b .

So, Ax = b is inconsistent since b cannot be spanned by column vectors of A.

13.
Solution.
We conduct the following row operations to obtain the RREF form of matrix A:

1. R1 ← −R1

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 2. R3 ← R3 + 2R1

3. R2 ← −R2

4. R3 ← R3 − 3R2

Thus,  
1 0 4
RREF (A) = 0 1 4
 
0 0 0

1. Row space:

• dim row (A) = 2 (Since rank (A) = 2)

h i h i
• basis = 1 0 4 , 0 1 4

2. Column space:

• dim col (A) = 2 (Since rank (A) = 2)

   
 0
 −1  
• basis = −1 ,  0
   
 −2

3 


3. Null space: The basis for the null space is obtained by solving the homogenous
expression Ax = 0:     
1 0 4 x1 0
0 1 4 x2  = 0
    
0 0 0 x3 0
( (
x1 + 4x3 = 0 x1 = −4x3
⇒
x2 + 4x3 = 0 x2 = −4x3
Thus,    
x1 −4
x2  = x3 −4
   
x3 1
or,  

−4
basis null (A) = −4
1


and dim null (A) = 1

TF.
c. False. In matrix A in which m × n, it is assumed m > n thus, rank (A) ⩽ n. Since
Nullity is n - the rank of A, null (A) ⩽ n.

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d. False. The rank of a matrix equals its column rank, which by definition is the
number of linearly independent columns. Adding one column will increase the col-
umn rank by one if it is independent of the others and will leave the column rank
unchanged if it is dependent on the others.