THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

MATH2101 Linear Algebra I

Tutorial 8 solution

1. (a) For all x ∈ Row(CA), x = yT (CA) for some y ∈ Rm . Then x = zT A for some z = C T y ∈ Rn
and hence x ∈ Row A. Thus Row(CA) ⊆ Row A.
(b) Using (a) for C = B, we have Row(BA) ⊆ Row A.
On the other hand, as B is invertible, using (a) for C = B −1 ,

Row A = Row(B −1 BA) ⊆ Row(BA).

Thus Row(BA) = Row A.

2. The correct answer: (a),(b),(d).

(a) Note that A and B can be transformed into the same reduced row echelon form R after
applying some elementary row operations. To be more precise, there exist some elementary
matrices E1 , . . . , Ek such that

R = Ek . . . E1 B = Ek . . . E1 EA.

(b) It follows from 1(b).

1 0 0 1 0 0
(c) A counter example: A = [ ] and E = [ ]. Then B = [ ] and hence
0 0 1 0 1 0

Col A = Span {e1 } ≠ Span {e2 } = Col B.

(d) As E is invertible, EAx = 0 if and only if Ax = 0. So Null B = Null EA = Null A.

3. By the assumption, Null A = Span{ei1 , . . . , eik } for 1 ≤ i1 < i2 < . . . < ik ≤ n. For m = 1, . . . , k,
the im -th column of A is Aeim = 0 and hence A contains at least k zero columns.
On the other hand, A cannot contains more than k zero columns, otherwise there exists
ℓ ∈ {1, 2, . . . , n}/{i1 , i2 , . . . , ik } such that the ℓ-th column of A is a zero vector, that is, Aeℓ = 0,
which yields
eℓ ∈ Null A = Span{ei1 , . . . , eik }.
This is a contradiction.
Therefore, A has exactly k zero columns.

4. The correct answer: (a).

1 −1
Note that v = u1 + 2u2 = u1 − (−2u2 ) = −(−u2 ) + (u1 + u2 ). So [v]B2 = [ ] and [v]B3 = [ ].
−1 1

1
 1 1 T
(a) [v]B2 + [u1 ]B1 = [ ] + [ ] = [2 −1] .
−1 0

1
(b) Span{[v]B2 , [v]B3 } = Span {[ ]} ≠ R2 .
−1

1 −1
(c) {[v]B1 , [v]B3 } = {[ ] , [ ]} is linearly independent.
2 1

1 3
(d) {[v]B2 + [3u2 ]B1 , 3[v]B1 } = {[ ] , [ ]} is linearly dependent.
2 6

0 1
5. (a) For example, let A = [ ]. Then
0 0

0 b
Row A = {[ ] ∶ a ∈ R} = Span {e2 } ≠ Span {e1 } = {[ ] ∶ b ∈ R} = Col A,
a 0

where row vectors are identified as column vectors in the natural sense.
0 1
(b) For example, let A = [ ]. Then
0 0

a b
Col A = {[ ] ∶ a ∈ R} = Span {e1 } = {[ ] ∶ b ∈ R} = Null A.
0 0

6. (a) True. Note that BA and A are both m × n matrices. It follows from that 1(b) that

rankA=dim(Row A) = dim(Row(BA)) =rank(BA).

Remark. Alternatively, we may consider the nullity to prove the result:

rankA + dim(Null A) = n = rank(BA) + dim(Null(BA)) (1)

As B is invertible, Ax = 0 ⇐⇒ BAx = 0 and hence Null A = Null(BA). Thus

dim(Null A)=dim(Null(BA)).

It follows from (1) that rankA=rank(BA).

(b) False. Consider m = n = 2. Let A = B = O. Then rank(BA)=0=rankA. But B is not
invertible.