Linear Independence

Given the functions f1 , f2 , · · · , fn and if the constants c1 , c2 , · · · , cn not all zero exist
such that
c1 f1 (x) + c2 f2 (x) + · · · + cn fn (x) = 0 (1)
for all x in some interval a ≤ x ≤ b, then the functions f1 , f2 , · · · , fn are said to be linearly
dependent on that interval. If no such relations exists, the function are said to be linearly
independent. That is, the functions f1 , f2 , · · · , fn are linearly independent on an interval
when (1) implies that c1 = c2 = · · · = cn = 0 It should be clear that if a function of a set
is linearly dependent, at least one of them is a linear combination of the others; if they are
linearly independent, then none of them is a linear combination of the others.

The Wronskian

With the definition of linear independence, we shall now obtain a sufficient condition
that n functions be linearly independent on an interval a ≤ x ≤ b. Let us assume that each
of the functions f1 , f2 , · · · , fn is differentiable at least (n−1) times in the interval a ≤ x ≤ b.
Then from the equation

c1 f1 (x) + c2 f2 (x) + · · · + cn fn (x) = 0

it follows by successive differentiation that

c1 f10 (x) + c2 f20 (x) + · · · + cn fn0 (x) = 0

c1 f100 (x) + c2 f200 (x) + · · · + cn fn00 (x) = 0

..
.
(n−1) (n−1)
c1 f 1 (x) + c2 f2 (x) + · · · + cn fn(n−1) (x) = 0

For any fixed value of x in the interval a ≤ x ≤ b, the nature of the solution of these
n linear equations in c1 , c2 , · · · , cn , will be determined by the value of the determinant

f1 (x) f2 (x) ··· fn (x)

f10 (x) f20 (x) ··· fn0 (x)
W (x) = .. .. ... ..
. . .
(n−1) (n−1) (n−1)
f1 (x) f2 (x) · · · fn (x)
 If W (x) 6= 0 for some x0 on the interval a ≤ x ≤ b, then it follows that c1 , c2 , · · · , cn ,
and hence the functions f1 , f2 , · · · , fn are linearly independent on a ≤ x ≤ b.

The function W (x) is called the Wronskian determinant, or simply Wronskian, of the
n functions f1 , f2 , · · · , fn . We have shown that if at one point on the interval the Wronskian
is not zero, then the functions are linearly independent on that interval.

Theorem 3

If, on the interval a ≤ x ≤ b, b0 6= 0, b0 , b1 , · · · , bn are continuous and y1 , y2 , · · · , yn

are solutions of the equation
b0 (x)y (n) + b1 (x)y (n−1) + · · · + bn−1 (x)y 0 + bn (x)y = 0
then a necessary and sufficient condition that y1 , y2 , · · · , yn be linearly independent is that
the Wronskian of y1 , y2 , · · · , yn differ from zero at least one point on the interval a ≤ x ≤ b.

Example 1.
Show that ex , e2x , e3x are linearly independent.

Solution:
ex e2x e3x
W (x) = ex 2e2x 3e3x
ex 4e2x 9e3x
W (x) = 18e6x + 3e6x + 4e6x − 2e6x − 12e6x − 9e6x
W (x) = 2e6x
Since W (x) = 2e2x 6= 0, then ex , e2x , e3x are linearly independent.

Example 2.
Show that ex , cos x, sin x are linearly independent.

Solution:
ex cos x sin x
x
W (x) = e − sin x cos x
ex − cos x − sin x
W (x) = ex sin2 x + ex cos x − ex sin x cos x + ex sin2 x + ex cos2 x + ex sin x cos x
W (x) = 2ex sin2 x + 2ex cos2 x
W (x) = 2ex (sin2 x + cos2 x)
W (x) = 2e6x
Since W (x) = 2e2x 6= 0, then ex , cos x, sin x are linearly independent.
Example 3.

Show that cos (ωt − β), cos ωt, sin ωt are linearly dependent functions of t.

Solution:
cos (ωt − β) cos ωt sin ωt
W (t) = −ω sin (ωt − β) −ω sin ωt ω cos ωt
−ω 2 cos (ωt − β) −ω 2 cos ωt −ω 2 sin ωt
W (t) = 0

Since W (t) = 0, then cos (ωt − β), cos ωt, sin ωt are linearly dependent.

Example 4.

Show that 1, sin2 x, cos2 x are linearly dependent.

Solution:
1 sin2 x cos2 x
W (x) = 0 sin 2x − sin 2x
0 2 cos 2x −2 cos 2x
W (x) = −2 sin 2x cos 2x + 0 + 0 − 0 + 2 sin 2x cos 2x − 0
W (x) = 0

Since W (x) = 0, then 1, sin2 x, cos2 x are linearly dependent.