19MAT112 - Linear Algebra

- S. Santhakumar

4.1
Span:
The subspace of a vector space V that is formed from all
possible linear combinations of the vectors in a nonempty set S is
called the span of S, and we say that the vectors in S span that
subspace. If S w1 , w2 ,  , wr  , then we denote the span of S by
Spanw1 , w2 ,  , wr  Span(S )

over ℝ and unit

n
Example: Consider the vector space R

vectors1, 0, 0,  , 0 , 0,1, 0,  , 0  , 0, 0, 1,  , 0 , … ,0, 0, 0,  , 1

u ,
Then any vector 1 2 u ,  , u n  R
of
n
can be written as a
linear combination of the unit vectors.
u1 , u2 , , un  u1 1, 0, 0,, 0 u2 0,1, 0,, 0   un 0, 0, 0,, 1
Hence 1, 0, 0,  , 0 , 0, 1, 0,  , 0 ,  , 0, 0, 0,  , 1 R
is span .
n

4.2
 Consider the vector space of all polynomials of degree less
P
than are equal to n, n . It is very clear that the set1, x , x 2
,  , x n

is span the entire space Pn .
 2
Also, the set 1, x, x ,  , x
n 1
 will span the subspacePn  1
of Pn .
Clearly, {1} will span the subspace P0 R of Pn .

Consider the vector space of all n⨉n matrices. Then the

1 0 0  0
 
0 1 0  0
0 0 1  0
matrix of the form   will span the subspace of all
    
0 0 0  1 

scalar matrices.
4.3
Soln: We must determine whether an arbitrary vector b (b1 , b2 , b3 )
3
in R can be expressed as a linear combination
b k1v1  k 2 v2  k3v3

of the vectors , v1 , v2 & v3 .

Expressing this equation in terms of components gives
(b1 , b2 , b3 ) k1 (1,1, 2)  k 2 (1, 0,1)  k3 ( 2,1, 3)

(b1 , b2 , b3 ) ( k1 , k1 , 2k1 )  ( k 2 , 0, k 2 )  ( 2k3 , k3 , 3k3 )

Hence this will lead us to the system of equations

4.4
 Thus, our problem reduces to ascertaining whether this system
is consistent or not.
We already know that, the system is consistent if and only if
its coefficient matrix has a nonzero determinant.
Here the coefficient matrix is

Also, it is clear that det(A) = 0. Hence the given vector do not

span the space.

4.5
Linearly independent:
S w1 , w2 ,  , wr 
If is a nonempty set of vectors in a

vector space V, then the vector equationk1w1  k 2 w2    k r wr 0

has at least one solution, namely,k1 k 2  k r 0 . We call

this the trivial solution.

If this is the only solution, then S is said to be a linearly

independent set.

If there are solutions in addition (more than one solution) to

the trivial solution, then S is said to be a linearly dependent set. 4.6

 over ℝ and unit
n
Example: Consider the vector space R

vectors1, 0, 0,  , 0  , 0,1, 0,  , 0  , 0, 0, 1,  , 0 , … ,0, 0, 0,  , 1

Set of all these unit vectors is a linearly

independent set. For, let

k1 1, 0, 0,  , 0  k 2 0,1, 0,  , 0    k n 0, 0, 0,  , 1 (0,0,  ,0)

It is very clear that

k1 k 2  k r 0 is the

only solution of the equation.

Hence the given set is linearly independent.

 Consider the vector space of all 3⨉3 – matrices & the
set of vectors
 1 0 0   1 0 0  1 0 0  0 1 0  0 1 0 
     
 0 0 0 ,  1 0 0 ,  1 0 0  ,  0 0 0  ,  0 1 0  ,
  0 0   0 0 0   1 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0  
 0 
S  
 0 1 0  0 0 1  0
 
0 1   0 0 1
  
 0 1 0 ,  0 0 0 ,  0 0 1  ,  0 0 1 
 
 0
 1 0   0 0 0   0  
0 0   0 0 1  
It is very clear that the set S is a linearly independent


set. For, let

 1 0 0  1 0 0 1 0 0  0 1 0 0 1 0
         
k1  0 0 0   k 2  1 0 0   k3  1 0 0   k 4  0 0 0   k5  0 1 0
 0 0 0  0 0 0 1 0 0   0 0 0 0 0 0 
       
 0 1 0  0 0 1 0 0 1  0 0 1  0 0 0
         
 k 6  0 1 0   k 7  0 0 0   k8  0 0 1   k9  0 0 1  0 0 0
 0 1 0  0 0 0 0 0 0   0 0 1  0 0 0 
       
 Hence we will get k1 k 2  k9 0 .

Hence the given set is linearly independent.

Consider the vector space of all 3⨉3 – matrices & the
set of vectors
 1 0 0   1 0 0   1 0 0   3 0 0  
    
S  0 0 0  ,  1 0 0  ,  1 0 0  ,  2 0 0  
 0 0 0   0 0 0   1 0 0   1 0 0  
    
For this set the relation
 1 0 0  1 0 0 1 0 0   3 0 0  0 0 0
         
k1  0 0 0   k 2  1 0 0   k3  1 0 0   k 4  2 0 0   0 0 0 
 0 0 0  0 0 0 1 0 0   1 0 0  0 0 0
         

having a non trivial solution

k1 1, k 2 1, k3 1, k 4  1 .
Hence S is not a linearly independent set. i.e. linearly
 Consider the vector space of all polynomials of degree less

than or equal to 5 & the set of vectors  

2
S  1, x  3, x 3

For this set the relation    

2
k1 (1)  k 2 x  3  k 3 x  3 0

having trivial solution only. Hence S is a linearly

independent
Considerset.
the vector space of all real valued functions from

S  x, sin x, cos x, sin 2 x, cos 2 x

the [a,b] and the set of vectors

For this set the relation

k1 x  k 2 sin x  k3 cos x  k 4 sin 2 x  k5 cos 2 x 0

having trivial solution only. Hence S is a linearly

independent set.
THEOREM:
A set S with two or more vectors is
a) Linearly dependent if and only if at least one of the vectors in
S is expressible as a linear combination of the other vectors in
S.
b) Linearly independent if and only if no vector in S is
expressible
Example: as a linear
Consider the combination
vector spaceofofthe
allother – matrices
3⨉3vectors in S.

& the set of vectors 1 0 0   1 0 0  1 0 0   3 0 0  

    
S  0 0 0  ,  1 0 0  ,  1 0 0  ,  2 0 0  
 0 0 0   0 0 0   1 0 0   1 0 0  
    

In this set the 4th vector can be written as a

linear combination of other three.
4.11
THEOREM:
a)A finite set that contains 0 is linearly dependent.
b)A set with exactly one vector is linearly independent if and
only if that vector is not 0.
c)A set with exactly two vectors is linearly independent if
and only if neither vector is a scalar multiple of the other.

4.12
Example: Consider the vector space of all polynomials of
degree less than or equal to 5 & the set of vectors S  1, x  3, 0
For this set the relationk1 (1)  k 2 x  3 k3 0  0 having
infinite number of solution.k1 0, k 2 0, k3 can be any scalar
value..
Hence S is linearly dependent.

4.13
 Two vectors in R 2
R3 or are linearly independent if and
only if they do not lie on the same line passing through the
origin.

R3

 Three vectors in are linearly independent if and only if

they do not lie in the same plane which passing through the
origin.
Thank
You
4.15