Math 214 | Linear Algebra

Span and Linear

Combination
 Span
Let v1, v2, . . . , vn be vectors in the vector space V.
The span of these vectors, denoted by span {v1, v2,
. . . , vn }, is the subset of V consisting of all possible
linear combinations of these vectors, i.e.,
span {v1, v2, . . . , vn } = {c1v1 + c2v2 + . . . + cnvn | ci
are scalars}

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Note: If S = {v1, v2, . . . , vn }, then
. span {v1, v2, . . . , vn } = span S
.

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 Example
1. Let 𝑆 = 𝑡 2 , 𝑡, 1 be a subset of P2. Show that span
S = P2.

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 2. Consider the set S of 2 × 3 matrices given by

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 Theorem 1
Let v1, v2, . . . , vn be vectors in the vector space V.
Then
W = span {v1, v2, . . . , vn }, is a subspace of V.

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 Spanning Set
If W = span{v1, v2, . . . , vn }, we say that {v1, v2, . . . , vn}
is a spanning set for the vector space W, and that W is
spanned by the vectors v1, v2, . . . , vn.

Example 2 1
1. In ℝ3 , let 𝐯1 = 1 , and 𝐯2 = −1 . Determine
1 3
1
.
whether the vector 𝐯 = 5 belongs to
.

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−7
.
span{v1, v2}.
.

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 2. In 𝑃2 , let 𝐯1 = 2𝑡 2 + 𝑡 + 2, 𝐯2 = 𝑡 2 − 2𝑡,
𝐯3 = 5𝑡 2 − 5𝑡 + 2 , 𝐯4 = −𝑡 2 − 3𝑡 − 2 .
Determine whether the vector 𝐯 = 𝑡 2 + 𝑡 + 2
belongs to span{v1, v2, v3, v4}.

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 3. Let V be vector space 𝑃2 . Let 𝐯1 = 𝑡 2 + 2𝑡
and 𝐯2 = 𝑡 2 + 2. Does {v1, v2} span V?

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 Theorem 2
Let v1, v2, . . . , vn be vectors in the vector space V and
w1, w2, . . . , wn be vectors in span{v1, v2, . . . , vn }.
Then
span {w1, w2, . . . , wn } ⊆ span{v1, v2, . . . , vn}.

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 Linearly Dependent or Independent Vectors

The vectors v1, v2, . . . , vn are said to be lineary

dependent if there exist scalars c1, c2, …, cn not all zero,
such that
c1v1 + c2v2 + . . . + cnvn = 0.
Otherwise, the vectors are called linearly independent.

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 Example
1. Show that any list of vectors that contains the
zero vector is linearly dependent.

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 3 1
2. Determine whether the vectors 𝐯1 = 2 , 𝐯2 = 2 ,
1 3
−1
𝐯3 = 2 are linearly independent.
−1