Final Exam — Practice 4

2. In each part, decide whether the given set is a subspace of R2×2 , the linear space of 2 × 2 matrices with
real entries. Please circle your choice, and justify it completely. In addition, if the subset is a subspace
of R2×2 , give a basis of the subspace.

(a) The set of symmetric 2 × 2 matrices.

 
Is a subspace Is not a subspace

Solution. Asking whether the set is a subspace of R2×2 is the same as asking whether the set is
closed under addition and closed under scalar multiplication. This set is:

• If A and B are symmetric, then A = AT and B = B T , so (A + B)T = AT + B T = A + B,

which means that A + B is symmetric. Thus, this set is closed under addition.

• If A is symmetric and c is a scalar, then (cA)T = cAT = cA, so cA is symmetric. That is,
this set is closed under scalar multiplication.

So, the set is a subspace of R2×2 ; let’s find a basis of this subspace. Every symmetric 2 × 2 matrix
can be written uniquely as
       
a b 1 0 0 1 0 0
=a +b +c ,
b c 0 0 1 0 0 1
     
1 0 0 1 0 0
so a basis of this subspace is , , . (Of course, like any linear space, this
0 0 1 0 0 1
subspace has infinitely many possible bases.)

(b) The set of 2 × 2 matrices with determinant 0.

 
Is a subspace Is not a subspace


   
1 0 0 0
Solution. This set is not closed under addition; for example and both have
  0 0 0 1
1 0
determinant 0, but their sum has determinant 1.
0 1

(c) The set of 2 × 2 matrices which have 2 as an eigenvalue.

 
Is a subspace Is not a subspace

Solution.
  This set cannot be a subspace of R2×2 because it does not contain the zero matrix:
0 0
does not have 2 as an eigenvalue.
0 0
 
3
(d) The set of 2 × 2 matrices which have as an eigenvector.
7
 
Is a subspace Is not a subspace

Solution. This set is a subspace of R2×2 :

c Harvard Math 21b
Final Exam — Practice 4

         
3 3 3 3 3
• If A and B have as an eigenvector, that means A = λ and B = µ for
7     7 7   7 7
3 3 3
some scalars λ, µ. Then, (A + B) = (λ + µ) , so A + B also has as an eigenvector
7 7 7
(with eigenvalue λ + µ). Therefore, this set is closed under addition.
     
3 3 3
• If A has as an eigenvector, that means A =λ for some scalars λ. If c is a scalar,
7
      7 7
3 3 3
then (cA) = cλ , so cA also has as an eigenvector (with eigenvalue cλ). Therefore,
7 7 7
this set is closed under scalar multiplication.
   
a b 3
Let’s find a basis of this subspace. Saying that a 2 × 2 matrix has as an eigenvector
c d 7
    
a b 3 3
is exactly saying that =λ for some scalar λ. Writing this out more,
c d 7 7

3a + 7b = 3λ
3c + 7d = 7λ
 
a b
We can solve these equations for a and c to get a = λ − 37 b, c = 73 λ − 73 d, so the matrices
c d
 
3
which have as an eigenvector are exactly those of the form
7

λ − 37 b
       
b 1 0 −7/3 1 0 0
7 7 , which we can rewrite as λ +b +d ,
3λ − 3d d 7/3 0 0 0 −7/3 1
     
1 0 −7/3 1 0 0
so a basis of this subspace is , , .
7/3 0 0 0 −7/3 1

c Harvard Math 21b