Solutions to Homework 5 - Math 3410

1. (Page 157: # 4.89) Determine whether the following vectors in R4 are linearly
dependent or independent:
(a) (1, 2, −3, 1), (3, 7, 1, −2), (1, 3, 7, −4).
Solution. From x(1, 2, −3, 1) + y(3, 7, 1, −2) + z(1, 3, 7, −4) = (0, 0, 0, 0) we have


 x + 3y + z = 0
2x + 7y + 3z = 0

.

 −3x + y + 7z = 0
x − 2y − 4z = 0


By applying Gauss-Jordan elimination we can see that this system has infinitely
many solutions, and for example x = 2, y = −1, z = 1 is a solution of this system.
This shows that these three vectors are linearly dependent.

2. (Page 157: # 4.91(b)) Show that the following functions f, g, h are linearly inde-
pendent:

f (t) = et , g(t) = e2t , h(t) = t.

Solution. Suppose that for all t ∈ R

c1 f (t) + c2 g(t) + c3 h(t) = 0

where c1 , c2 , c3 ∈ R. In other words,

c1 et + c2 e2t + c3 t = 0

for all t ∈ R. We now plug in the values t = 0, 1, 2 into this last equation to
obtain

c1 e0 + c2 e0 + c3 0 = 0
c1 e1 + c2 e2 + c3 1 = 0
c1 e2 + c2 e4 + c3 2 = 0

In matrix form this may be written as

    
1 1 0 c1 0
 e e2 1   c2  =  0 
e2 e4 2 c3 0

We label this 3 × 3 matrix as A. We now row reduce this matrix:

R2 → R2 /e, R3 → R3 /e2
 
1 1 0
A ∼  1 e e−1  .
1 2 2e−2

R2 → R2 − R1 , R3 → R3 − R1
 
1 1 0
A ∼  0 e − 1 e−1  .
0 e2 − 1 2e−2

1
 R2 → R2 /(e − 1), R3 → R3 /(e2 − 1)
 
1 1 0
e−1 
A ∼  0 1 e−1 .

2e−2
0 1 e2 −1

R3 → R3 − R2
 
1 1 0
 0 1 e−1
A∼ .

e−1
2e−2 e−1
0 0 e2 −1
− e−1

Clearly A has 3 pivots and thus it follows that

c1 = c2 = c3 = 0

is the only solution of the system of linear equations. Thus p1 (t), p2 (t), p3 (t) are
linearly independent.

3. (Page 157: # 4.93) Suppose ~u, ~v , w

~ are linearly independent vectors. Investigate
that whether S is linearly independent or not, where
(a) S = {~u + ~v − 2w,
~ ~u − ~v − w,
~ ~u + w},
~
(b) S = {~u + ~v − 3w,
~ ~u + 3~v − w,
~ ~v + w}.
~
Solution. (a) From x(~u + ~v − 2w)
~ + y(~u − ~v − w)
~ + z(~u + w) ~ = 0, we have
(x + y + z)~u + (x − y)~v + (−2x − y + z)w
~ = 0. Since ~u, ~v , and w
~ are linearly
independent we have 
 x+y+z = 0
x−y = 0 .
−2x − y + z = 0


Solving this system will give x = y = z = 0. So S is linearly independent.

(b) From x(~u + ~v − 3w)
~ + y(~u + 3~v − w)
~ + z(~v + w)
~ = 0, we have (x + y)~u + (x +
3y + z)~v + (−3x − y + z)w~ = 0. Since ~u, ~v , and w
~ are linearly independent we
have 
 x+y = 0
x + 3y + z = 0 .
−3x − y + z = 0


This system has non-trivial solutions. For example x = 1, y = −1, and z = 2 is

a solution. So S is linearly dependent.

4. (Page 157: # 4.95) Let V be a vector space over a field K. Suppose S =

{~v1 , . . . , ~vn } is linearly independent. Prove that S 0 is linearly independent where
(a) S 0 = {a1~v1 , . . . , an~vn } and ai 6= 0 for 1 ≤ i ≤ n.
(b) S 0 = {~v1 , . . . , ~vk−1 , w,
~ ~vk+1 , . . . , ~vn } where
n
X
w
~= bi~vi
i=1

and bk 6= 0. (Note that in this problem S 0 is obtained from S by replacing ~vk by

w.)
~
Solution. (a) Suppose that

c1 (a1~v1 ) + · · · cn (an~vn ) = ~0

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 for some c1 , . . . , cn ∈ K. Thus

(c1 a1 )~v1 + · · · (cn an )~vn = ~0.

Since {~v1 , . . . , ~vn } are linearly independent it follows that

c1 a1 = 0, c2 a2 = 0, . . . , cn an = 0.

Since aj 6= 0 for 1 ≤ j ≤ n it follows that

cj = (cj aj )a−1 −1
j = 0aj = 0

for 1 ≤ j ≤ n. Thus {a1~v1 , . . . , an~vn } are linearly independent.

(b) Suppose that

~ + ck+1~vk+1 + · · · cn~vn = ~0
c1~v1 + · · · ck−1~vk−1 + ck w

or some c1 , . . . , cn ∈ K. Thus

c1~v1 + · · · ck−1~vk−1 + ck (b1~v1 + · · · bn~vn ) + ck+1~vk+1 + · · · cn~vn = ~0

Regrouping the terms we have

(c1 +b1 ck )~v1 +· · · (ck−1 +bk−1 ck )~vk−1 +ck bk~vk +(ck+1 +bk+1 ck )~vk+1 +· · · (cn +bn ck )~vn = ~0.

Since {~v1 , . . . , ~vn } are linearly independent it follows that

c1 + b1 ck = 0
..
.
ck−1 + bk−1 ck = 0
ck bk = 0
ck+1 + bk+1 ck = 0
..
.
cn + bn ck = 0

Now looking at the k-th line we see that

ck bk = 0

and thus ck = 0 which follows by multiplying both sides of the equation by b−1
k
as in part (a). Now we look at the other k − 1 equations, namely

cj + bj ck = 0

where 1 ≤ j ≤ n and j 6= k. Since ck = 0 it follows that

cj + bj · 0 = 0

and thus

cj = 0

for 1 ≤ j ≤ n and j 6= k. It follows that cj = 0 for 1 ≤ j ≤ n and thus S 0 is

linearly independent.

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5. (Page 158: # 4.97) Find a subset of ~u1 , ~u2 , ~u3 , ~u4 that gives a basis for W =
span(~ui ) of R5 where:
(c) ~u1 = (1, 0, 1, 0, 1), ~u2 = (1, 1, 2, 1, 0), ~u3 = (2, 1, 3, 1, 1), ~u4 = (1, 2, 1, 1, 1).
Solution. We note that system of linear equations from x(1, 0, 1, 0, 1)+y(1, 1, 2, 1, 0)+
z(2, 1, 3, 1, 1) + w(1, 2, 1, 1, 1) = (0, 0, 0, 0, 0) has non-trivial solution, and so these
four vectors are linearly dependent. Now we drop one of the vectors, for exam-
ple ~u3 , and we for the equation x(1, 0, 1, 0, 1) + y(1, 1, 2, 1, 0) + z(1, 2, 1, 1, 1) =
(0, 0, 0, 0, 0). Solving this system results in x = y = z = 0, so u1 , u2 , and u4 are
linearly independent and therefore they form a basis for W = span(~ui ).
6. (Page 158: # 4.98) Consider the subspaces U = {(a, b, c, d) : b − 2c + d = 0}
and W = {(a, b, c, d) : a = d, b = 2c} of R4 . Find a basis and the dimension of
(a) U, (b) W, (c) U ∩ W .
Solution. (a) An element (a, b, c, d) ∈ U can be written as (a, 2c − d, c, d) =
a(1, 0, 0, 0) + c(0, 2, 1, 0) + d(0, −1, 0, 1). So {(1, 0, 0, 0), (0, 2, 1, 0), (0, −1, 0, 1)}
forms a basis of U , since these vectors are linearly independent. Thus the dimen-
sion is 3.
(b) An element (a, b, c, d) ∈ W can be written as (a, 2c, c, a) = a(1, 0, 0, 1) +
c(0, 2, 1, 0). So {(1, 0, 0, 1), (0, 2, 1, 0)} is a basis of W since these vectors are
linearly independent. Thus the dimension is 2.
(c) By Gauss-Jordan elimination we solve this system of linear equations

 b − 2c + d = 0
a−d = 0 .
b − 2c = 0


We find out that the solutions are in the form (0, 2c, c, 0). So {(0, 2, 1, 0)} is a
basis of U ∩ W . Thus the dimension is 1.
7. (Page 158: # 4.99) Find a basis and the dimension of the solution space W of
each of the following homogeneous systems:

 x + 2y − 2z + 2s − t = 0
(a) x + 2y − z + 3s − 2t = 0 .
2x + 4y − 7z + s + t = 0


Solution. The reduced echelon form of the coefficient matrix is in the form
 
1 2 0 4 −3
 0 0 1 1 −1  .
0 0 0 0 0
     

 −2 −4 3 

 1   0   0

 
    


So the reduced system is x = −2y−4s+3t, z = −s+t. So  0  ,  −1 
  
,
 1 



  0   1   0 
 
0 0 1
 
is a basis of W and dim W = 3.
8. (Page 158: # 4.102(a)) Find a basis and dimension of the subspace W of P(t)
spanned by

p1 (t) = t3 + 2t2 − 2t + 1, p2 (t) = t3 + 3t2 − 3t + 4, p3 (t) = 2t3 + t2 − 7t − 7.

Solution. Let

W = span(p1 (t), p2 (t), p3 (t)) = {d1 p1 (t) + d2 p2 (t) + d3 p3 (t) | d1 , d2 , d3 ∈ R}.

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We first check whether p1 (t), p2 (t), p3 (t) are linearly independent are not. Suppose
that
c1 p1 (t) + c2 p2 (t) + c3 p3 (t) = 0
for some c1 , c2 , c3 ∈ R. This reads
c1 (t3 + 2t2 − 2t + 1) + c2 (t3 + 3t2 − 3t + 4) + c3 (2t3 + t2 − 7t − 7) = 0
or
(c1 + c2 + 2c3 )t3 + (2c1 + 3c2 + c3 )t2 + (−2c1 − 3c2 − 7c3 )t + (c1 + 4c2 − 7c3 ) = 0.
This equals zero for all t ∈ R only if each coefficient equals zero. That is
c1 + c2 + 2c3 = 0
2c1 + 3c2 + c3 = 0
−2c1 − 3c2 − 7c3 = 0
c1 + 4c2 − 7c3 = 0.
We now write this as a matrix equation A~x = ~0 where ~x = (c1 c2 c3 )T and
 
1 1 2
 2 3 1 
A=  −2 −3 −7  .


1 4 −7
R3 → R3 + R2
 
1 1 2
 2 3 1 
A∼ .
 0 0 −6 
1 4 −7
R2 → R2 − 2R1 , R4 → R4 − R1
 
1 1 2
 0 1 −3 
A∼  0 0 −6  .


0 3 −9
R4 → R4 − 3R2
 
1 1 2
 0 1 −3 
A∼ .
 0 0 −6 
0 0 0
R3 → R3 / − 6, R2 → R2 + 3R3 , R1 → R1 − 2R3 , R1 → R1 − R2
 
1 0 0
 0 1 0 
A∼  0
.
0 1 
0 0 0
Thus we see that the solutions to our initial system of linear equations is
   
1 0 0   0
 0 1 0  c1  0 
 0 0 1  c2
  = 
 0 
c3
0 0 0 0
which clearly are c1 = c2 = c3 = 0. It follows that p1 (t), p2 (t), p3 (t) are linearly
independent. In addition, we have that p1 (t), p2 (t), p3 (t) span W (by definition).
Thus p1 (t), p2 (t), p3 (t) are a basis of W and the dimension is 3.