ME 261 Engineering Mathematics

Linear Algebra | Assignment Sheet 1

Instructions: Answer all questions. Symbols carry their usual meaning. Assume any data, if not
furnished, consistent with the problem.
__________________________________________________________________________________

1. Derive the solution set for each of the following systems of linear algebraic equations. Classify
the result in different categories (e.g., unique solution, inconsistent system, 2-parameter family
of solutions, etc.). Make use of the Gauss-Jordan elimination method if the system contains
more than one equation.
a. 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 1
b. 𝑥 + 𝑦 + 𝑧 = 1
c. 3𝑥 − 4𝑦 = 10, −5𝑥 + 8𝑦 = −17, −3𝑥 + 12𝑦 = −12
d. 𝑥 + 𝑦 − 2𝑧 = 3, 𝑥 − 𝑦 − 3𝑧 = 1, 𝑥 − 3𝑦 − 4𝑧 = −1
e. 2𝑥1 + 𝑥2 = 1, 𝑥1 + 2𝑥2 + 𝑥3 = 1, 𝑥2 + 2𝑥3 + 𝑥4 = 1, 𝑥3 + 2𝑥4 = 1

[5x3=15]
2. Obtain the values of 𝜆 for which the following system is consistent: 2𝑥 − 5𝑦 = −3, −𝑥 +
6𝑦 = 5, 𝑥 + 5𝑦 = 𝜆. Derive the solution set. [3]

3. Obtain the values of 𝜆 for which the following system admits non-trivial solution: 𝑥 + 𝑦 + 𝑧 =
𝜆𝑥, 𝑦 + 𝑧 = 𝜆𝑦, 2𝑧 = 𝜆𝑧. [3]

4. Prove the following property of scalar multiplication using the definition and axioms of vector
space: (−1)𝑢̅ = −𝑢̅. [3]

5. Consider the vector space ℝ𝑛 with standard vector addition and scalar multiplication.
a. Show that the following definition of inner product makes ℝ𝑛 an inner product space:
𝑢̅ ⋅ 𝑣̅ ≡ 𝑤1 𝑢1 𝑣1 + ⋯ + 𝑤𝑛 𝑢𝑛 𝑣𝑛 , where 𝑢̅ and 𝑣̅ are any two vectors in ℝ𝑛 and
𝑤1 , … , 𝑤𝑛 are positive constants.
b. Show that the following definition of norm makes ℝ𝑛 a normed vector space: ‖𝑢̅‖ ≡
|𝑢1 | + ⋯ + |𝑢𝑛 |, where 𝑢̅ is any vector in ℝ𝑛 and |𝑢𝑖 | represents absolute value of 𝑢𝑖 .
[3+3=6]
3
6. Consider a set consists of vectors which are scalar multiples of (1,0,1) in ℝ . Is this set a
subspace of ℝ3 ? What is the dimension of span{(1,0,1)}? [3+1=4]

7. Consider a set consists of vectors which are of the form (𝑥1 , 1, 𝑥2 ) in ℝ3 , where 𝑥1 , 𝑥2 are
arbitrary scalars. Is this set a subspace of ℝ3 ? [3]

8. Consider a set consists of vectors which are of the form (𝑥1 , 𝑥2 ) in ℝ2 , where 𝑥1 ≥ 0, 𝑥2 ≥ 0
are arbitrary non-negative scalars. Is this set a subspace of ℝ2 ? [3]
9. If 𝑢̅1 , … 𝑢̅𝑘 are vectors in ℝ𝑛 , show that span{𝑢̅1 , … 𝑢̅𝑘 } is a subspace of ℝ𝑛 . [4]

10. Show whether the following subspaces are identical: span{(1,1,1)}, span{(1,1,1), (0,0,0)},
span{(1,1,1), (2,2,2), (0,0,0)} and span{(1,1,1), (2,2,2), (3,3,3)}. [4]

11. Is span{(2,1,1), (1,2,1), (1,1,2)} all of ℝ3 or part of ℝ3 ? What is the dimension of span{(2,1,1),
(1,2,1), (1,1,2)}? [3+3=6]

12. Determine whether the following set is linearly dependent or linearly independent:
a. {(2,-2,4), (3,-5,4), (0,1,1)}
b. {(1,3), (2,0), (1,2), (-1,5)}
c. {(1,3,2,0), (4,1,-2,-2), (0,2,0,3), (4,7,1,2)}
[3x3=9]
13. Prove or disprove:
a. 𝑣̅ is in span{𝑢̅1 , … 𝑢̅𝑘 } if {𝑣̅ , 𝑢̅1 , … 𝑢̅𝑘 } is linearly dependent.
b. 𝑣̅ is not in span{𝑢̅1 , … 𝑢̅𝑘 } if {𝑣̅ , 𝑢̅1 , … 𝑢̅𝑘 } is linearly independent.
c. 𝑣̅ is not in span{𝑢̅1 , … 𝑢̅𝑘 } if and only if {𝑣̅ , 𝑢̅1 , … 𝑢̅𝑘 } is linearly independent.
[3x3=9]
14. Show whether the following is a basis.
a. {(1,0), (2,0), (1,1)} for ℝ2
b. {(1,1), (0,0)} for ℝ2
c. {(5,-1,2), (2,0,1), (1,-1,1)} for ℝ3
d. {(1,0,0,0), (0,1,0,0), (0,0,1,0), (0,0,0,1), (0,0,0,0)} for ℝ4
e. {(1,2,3), (1,0,4)} for span{(3,2,0), (1,1,-1)}
[5x3=15]
4
15. Express 𝑢̅ = (1,2,3,4) in terms of the orthogonal basis {𝑒̅1 , … , 𝑒̅4 } of ℝ , where 𝑒̅1 =
(2,0, −1, −5), 𝑒̅2 = (2,0,1,1), 𝑒̅3 = (0,1,0,0), 𝑒̅4 = (1,0,2,0). Find the associated orthonormal
basis and express the vector in terms of the orthonormal basis. [3]

16. Consider the following four vectors in ℝ4 : 𝑢̅1 = (1,1,1,1), 𝑢̅2 = (1,1,1,0), 𝑢̅3 =
(1,1,0,0), 𝑢̅4 = (1,0,0,0).
a. Show span{𝑢̅1 , 𝑢̅2 , 𝑢̅3 , 𝑢̅4 }=ℝ4 .
b. Show {𝑢̅1 , 𝑢̅2 , 𝑢̅3 , 𝑢̅4 } a basis of ℝ4 .
c. Determine the dimension of span{𝑢̅1 , 𝑢̅2 , 𝑢̅3 , 𝑢̅4 }.
d. Assuming Euclidean inner product, construct an orthonormal basis using the Gram-
Schmidt orthogonalization. [3+3+1+3=10]