Problem Sheet - 5 (Linear operators, invertibility)

(1) Prove that the linear operator on R2 defined by T ((x, y)) = (x + y, x) is invertible and
find T −1 explicitly.

(2) Let T1 and T2 be linear operators on R2 defined by T1 ((x, y)) = (y, x) and T2 ((x, y)) =
(x, 0). Find explicit expressions of T1 + T2 , T1 ◦ T2 , T2 ◦ T1 , T12 and T22 .

(3) Let T be the unique linear opearator on C3 such that T ((1, 0, 0)) = (1, 0, i), T ((0, 1, 0)) =
(0, 1, 1) and T ((0, 0, 1)) = (i, 1, 0). Determine, with proof, whether T is invertible or not.

(4) Let T be the linear operator on R3 defined by T ((x, y, z)) = (3x, x − y, 2x + y + z).
Determine, with proof, whether T is invertible or not. Moreover, prove that (T 2 −
I)(T − 3I) = 0, where I stands for the identity map and 0 stands for the zero map.

(5) Let T : R3 → R2 and U : R2 → R3 be linear transformations. Prove that U ◦ T is not

invertible.

(6) Find two linear operators T and U on R2 such that T ◦ U = 0 but U ◦ T ̸= 0.

(7) Let T be a linear operator on a finite-dimensional vector space V . Let U : V → V be a

linear operator such that T ◦ U = I. Prove that T is invertible.

(8) Let V be a finite-dimensional vector space and let T be a linear operator on V such that
rank(T ) = rank(T 2 ). Prove that Im(T ) ∩ ker(T ) = {0}.