Linear Algebra : Linear Algebra

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Linear Algebra

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Linear Independence And Rank

If matrix A is a 10x12 matrix with a three-dimensional null space, what is the rank of A?

Possible Answers:

None of the other answers

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Given that rank A + dimensional null space of A = total number of columns, we can determine rank A = total number of columns-dimensional null space of A. Using the information given in the question we can solve for rank A: 

Example Question #1 : Linear Independence And Rank

Does the following row reduced echelon form of a matrix represent a linearly independent set?

 

Possible Answers:

Yes

No

Not enough information

Correct answer:

Yes

Explanation:

The set must be linearly independent because there are no rows of all zeros. There are columns of all zeros, but columns do not tell us if the set is linearly independent or not.

Example Question #1 : Linear Independence And Rank

In a vector space of dimension 5, can you have a linearly independent set of 3 vectors?

Possible Answers:

Yes

No

Not enough information

Correct answer:

Yes

Explanation:

The dimension of the vector space is the maximum number of vectors in a linearly independent set. It is possible to have linearly independent sets with less vectors than the dimension.

 

So for this example it is possible to have linear independent sets with

1 vector, or 2 vectors, or 3 vectors, all the way up to 5 vectors.

Example Question #1 : Linear Independence And Rank

Consider a set of 3 vectors from a 3 dimensional vector space.

 

Is the set linearly independent?

Possible Answers:

Not enough information

No

Yes

Correct answer:

Not enough information

Explanation:

It depends on what the vectors are.

For example, if

Then the set is linearly independent.

 

However if the vectors were

then the set would be linearly dependent.

 

Example Question #1 : Linear Independence And Rank

Consider a set of 3 vectors from a 2 dimensional vector space.

 

Is the set linearly independent?

Possible Answers:

Yes

Not enough information

No

Correct answer:

No

Explanation:

Since the dimension of the space is 2, a linearly independent set can have at most two vectors. Since the set in consideration has 3 and 3>2, the set must be linearly dependent.

Example Question #191 : Operations And Properties

 

 

Consider the following set of three vectors:

where 

 

Is the set linearly independent?

Possible Answers:

Not enough information

No

Yes

Correct answer:

No

Explanation:

Since  can be written as a linear combination of of  and  then the set cannot be linearly independent.

Example Question #12 : Linear Independence And Rank

Does the following row reduced echelon form of a matrix represent a linearly independent set?

 

Possible Answers:

No

Not enough information

Yes

Correct answer:

No

Explanation:

The set is linearly dependent because there is a row of all zeros.

Notice that having columns of all zeros does not tell if the set is linearly independent or not.

Example Question #192 : Operations And Properties

Determine the row rank of the matrix

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To determine the matrix, we turn the matrix into reduced row echelon form

By adding  times the first row to the second we get

And find that the row rank is 

Example Question #201 : Operations And Properties

Determine the row rank of the matrix

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To determine the row rank of the matrix we reduce the matrix into reduced echelon form.

First we add  times the 1st row to the 2nd row

add  times the 1st row to the 3rd row

Switch the 2nd row and the 3rd row

multiply the 2nd row by

add  times the 2nd row to the 1st row

And we find that the row rank is 

Example Question #201 : Operations And Properties

 

 

Consider the following set of vectors

 

 

 

Is the the set linearly independent?

Possible Answers:

Not enough information

No.

Yes.

Correct answer:

Yes.

Explanation:

Yes, the set is linearly independent. There are multiple ways to see this

Way 1) Put the vectors into matrix form,

The matrix is already in reduced echelon form. Notice there are three rows that have a nonzero number in them and we started with 3 vectors. Thus the set is linearly independent.

Way 2) Consider the equation

If when we solve the equation, we get  then it is linearly independent. Let's solve the equation and see what we get.

Distribute the scalar constants to get

Thus we get a system of 3 equations

Since the vectors are linearly independent.

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