MATH 2210Q Practice Midterm 1

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Test 1 - Practice Questions - Hints and Solutions

1. Which of the following matrices are in row echelon form? Which are in reduced row echelon form?

 
          0 0 0 0
1 3 5 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 2 3 1 1 0 1 1
2 0 0 0
3 0 , 0 1 2 0 , 0 2 0 , 0 1 0 1 , 0 0 1 0 , 
0

1 0 0
1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 1
0 0 1 0

Solution: The 2nd, 3rd, and 5th are in row echelon form. The 2nd is the only one in reduced row
echelon form.

2. Solve the following system of equations:

x2 + 5x3 = −4
x1 + 4x2 + 3x3 = −2
2x1 + 7x2 + x3 = −2

Solution: Putting the coefficients into a matrix we obtain the augmented matrix:
 
0 1 5 −4
1 4 3 −2
2 7 1 −2

Now we put this matrix into reduced row echelon form and obtain:
 
1 0 −17 0
0 1 5 0
0 0 0 1

So since the last row gives the equation 0 = 1, this system is inconsistent.

3. Solve the following system of equations:

2x1 − 6x3 = −8
x2 + 2x3 = 3
3x1 + 6x2 − 2x3 = −4

Solution: Putting the coefficients into a matrix we obtain the augmented matrix:
 
2 0 −6 −8
0 1 2 3
3 6 −2 −4
 Now we put this matrix into reduced row echelon form and obtain:
 
1 0 0 2
0 1 0 −1
0 0 1 2

So we obtain the solutions x1 = 2, x2 = −1, x3 = 2.

         
−1  1 3 0  π
4. (a) Is  2  in span 2 , 4 , 2 ? What about log2 3?
0 0 3 3 17
 

Solution: We can form the matrix whose columns are our vectors:
 
1 3 0
2 4 2
0 3 3

and put this matrix into rref:  

1 0 0
0 1 0
0 0 1
and since there is a pivot in each row, (i.e. no row of zeros), the vectors span R3 , so both vectors
must be in the span.
         
−1 1 3 0 π
(b) Is  2  a linear combination of 2 , 4 , 2? Islog2 3?
0 0 3 3 17
Solution: By the definition of span, these vectors must be linear combinations of those three
vectors.

5. Let  
1 −1 4
A = 1 5
0 .
0 3 3
   
1 3
(a) Is 2 in the span of the columns of A? What about 2?
3 1
Solution: If we put A into RREF, we see that   there actually is a row of zeros, so we must check
1
these vectors individually. First let’s check 2. Create the augmented matrix:
3
 
1 4 −1 1
1 5 0 2
0 3 3 3
Then put it into RREF to see if there is a solution to this system of equations: We obtain:
 
1 0 −5 −3
0 1 1 1
0 0 0 0
 
1
So this system is consistent, so 2 IS in the span.
3
  
3
Now let’s check 2. Create the augmented matrix:
1
 
1 4 −1 3
1 5 0 2
0 3 3 1

Then put it into RREF to see if there is a solution to this system of equations:
 
1 0 −5 0
0 1 1 0
0 0 0 1
 
3
The last row gives the equation 0=1, so this system is inconsistent. Thus, 2 is NOT in the
1
span.
   
1 3
(b) Is 2 a linear combination of the columns of A? What about 2?
3 1
Solution: Similar to the previous question, by the definition of span, if a vector is in the span of
1
the columns of A if and only if is a linear combination of the columns of A. Thus, 2 IS a linear
3
 
3
combination of the columns of A, and 2 is NOT a linear combination of the columns of A
1
   

 1 0 
   
2 1

6. Suppose S =   ,   .


 0 1 
3 0
 

(a) Give an example of a vector in span S but not in S.

 
1
2
Solution: Any linear combination of vectors in S is in span S. So for instance we can take 2  
0
    3
1 0
2 1
or 
0 + 1.
  

3 0

(b) Give an example of a vector NOT in span S.

Solution: If a vector ~v is in span S, then
         
1 0 c 0 c
2 1 2c d 2c + d
~v = c 
0 + d 1 =  0  + d =  d 
        

3 0 3c 0 3c

In particular, notice the 4th entry must be 3 times the 1st entry. So to get a vector not in the
 span of S, just give an example of a vector in R4 whose 4th entry is NOT 3 times its 1st entry.
For example:  
1
1
 
1
1

7. Find a vector ~x such that    

2 4 6 2
4 6 2 ~x = 6
6 2 4 4

Solution: This is a matrix equation. To find the solutions, simply solve the augmented matrix:
 
2 4 6 2
4 6 2 6
6 2 4 4

Putting it into RREF we obtain:

2
 
1 0 0 3
0 2 
1 0 3
0 0 1 − 13
yielding solutions x1 = 23 , x2 = 23 , x3 = − 31 . So our vector ~x should be
 2 
3
~x =  23 
− 31

8. Calculate the following matrix products if they are defined, otherwise state they are undefined.
     
1 0 2 2 2
(a) 1 −1 1 · 1 =  1 
0 −1 3 0 −1
     
2 3 1 −1 2 1
(b) · =
1 0 0 1 1 −1
     
1 −1 2 3 1 3
(c) · =
0 1 1 0 1 0
 
  2 1  
1 2 0  4 −1
(d) · 1 −1 =
4 0 1 8 4
0 0
   
1 1 2 3 2
(e) · = product not defined
1 −1 0 0 1
     
1 0 0 2 4 5 2 4 5
(f) 0 1 0 ·  7 13 4 = 7 13 4 
0 0 1 −2 15 −17 −2 15 −17
        
2 1 0 1
9. (a) Write 2 as a linear combination of the vectors 1 , 1 , 0?
4 0 1 1
Solution: We wish to solve
       
1 0 1 2
c1 1 + c2 1 + c3 0 = 2
0 1 1 4

This is a vector equation which we solve by making the matrix

 
1 0 1 2
1 1 0 2
0 1 1 4

and solving it. I leave that part to you. (Put into RREF)
     
 1 0 1 
(b) Is the set 1 , 1 , 0 linearly independent?
0 1 1
 

Solution: We need to check if there are any nontrivial solutions to:

       
1 0 1 0
c1 1 + c2 1 + c3 0 = 0
0 1 1 0

We check this by making the matrix  

1 0 1 0
1 1 0 0
0 1 1 0
and seeing if there is a free variable. I leave that part to you. (Put into RREF, see if one column
pertaining to a variable does not have a pivot). The answer is that there are no free variables, so
the set is linearly independent.
(c) Do these vectors span R3 ?
Solution: We have a theorem that helps us with this. We form the matrix
 
1 0 1
1 1 0
0 1 1

and check whether there is a pivot in each row (when in REF), i.e. that there are no rows of zeros.
If there are no rows of zeros, then by a theorem we have discussed in class, the columns of this
matrix span R3 . Here, the columns of our matrix are exactly the vectors.
The solution is YES they do span R3 .

10. Determine whether the following sets are linearly independent:

   
1 2
(a) ,
2 1
   
1 1
(b) ,
−1 0
     
 1 1 2 
(c) −1 , 0 , 1
1 1 2
 
        
 1 2 1 0 
(d) 2 , 3 , −1 , 1
1 4 2 0
 
       
3 2 0 2
(e) , , ,
4 1 1 5
     
 1 1 0 
(f) 1 , 0 , 0
1 1 0
 

Solution: The idea is to check if c1 v~1 + c2 v~2 + · · · + cn v~n = ~0 has any non-trivial solutions just
like in the problem before. Key things to remember here are that

• if a set contains the zero vector, then the set is linearly dependent
• if a set contains more vectors than the dimension of the vectors (# of entries), then the set
is linearly dependent

The answers are: yes, yes, no, no, no, no.

11. Let T : R3 → R2 be the transformation defined by

 
x  
y  7→ x + z
y+z
z
(a) Show that T is a linear transformation.
Solution: We must check the two properties that define a linear transformation:

• For any ~u, ~v , T (~u + ~v ) = T (~u) + T (~v ).

• For any ~u, c, T (c~u) = cT (~u).

Let us define arbitrary vectors    

u1 v1
~u = u2  , ~v = v2  .
u3 v3
Now simply compute both sides of each equation.
 
u1 + v1  
(u1 + v1 ) + (u3 + v3 )
T (~u + ~v ) = T u2 + v2  =
(u2 + v2 ) + (u3 + v3 )
u3 + v3
     
u1 + u3 v + v3 u + u3 + v1 + v3
T (~u) + T (~v ) = + 1 = 1
u2 + u3 v2 + v3 u2 + u3 + v2 + v3
and by rearranging we see that T (~u + ~v ) = T (~u) + T (~v ).
Do the same to check T (c~u) = cT (~u).
(b) Determine the standard matrix for T .
Solution: To find the standard matrix for T , we must find were T sends the standard basis of
the domain of T , in this case R3 .
So, we will calculate:  
1  
1
T (e~1 ) = T 0 =
0
0
  
0  
0
T (e~2 ) = T 1 =
1
0
 
0  
1
T (e~3 ) = T 0 =
1
1
And now we form the matrix by concatenating these vectors:
 
1 0 1
A=
0 1 1

and this matrix A is the standard matrix for T . We can double check that
 
  x  
1 0 1   x+z
A~x = y =
0 1 1 y+z
z

(c) Is T onto?
Solution: There is a theorem which tells you that T is onto if and only if the columns of the
standard matrix of T , that is the matrix A we just found, span the range of T , in this case R2 . So
we need to check is the columns of  
1 0 1
0 1 1
span R2 . We have a theorem that says that the columns of a matrix span Rn precisely when
there no row of zeros in RREF, (there is a pivot in every row). So we put A into RREF, which
it conveniently already is in, and notice that A has no row of zeros, (it has a pivot in every row).
Therefore, the columns of A span R2 , and therefore T is onto.

(d) Is T one-to-one?
Solution: There is a theorem which tells you that T is one-to-one if and only if the columns of
the standard matrix of T , that is the matrix A we just found, are linearly independent. So we
must check if the set      
1 0 1
, ,
0 1 1
is linearly independent.

For more detailed steps, see solutions to previous problems on showing sets of vectors are lin-
early independent.

We form the matrix  

1 0 1 0
0 1 1 0
and put it into RREF. Conveniently it already is in RREF, and we see that c3 is a free variable,
and thus this set of vectors is not linearly independent, the set is linearly dependent. Thus, T is
not one-to-one.

12. Let T : R2 → R2 be the transformation defined by

   
x1 2x1 + x2
T =
x2 x1 − x2
 (a) Show that T is a linear transformation.
Solution: See previous problem for idea.

(b) Determine the standard matrix for T .

Solution: See previous problem for idea, the answer is
 
2 1
A=
1 −1

(c) Is T onto?
Solution: See previous problem for idea, the answer is yes.

(d) Is T one-to-one?
Solution: See previous problem for idea, the answer is yes.

13. Determine if the following matrices are invertible and, if so, find the inverse matrix.
 
1 2
(a)
3 4
 
2 3 0
(b)
1 0 3
 
1 0 2
(c) 1 −1 1
0 −1 3
 
1 0 2 0
1 −1 1 0
(d) 0 −1 3 0


0 0 0 1
 
2 0 1
(e) 1 −1 3 
3 1 −1
 
1 1 1
(f) 1 2 4
1 3 9

Solution: Following the method we have seen to determine if a matrix is invertible and find the inverse
matrix, you can check that (b) and (e) are NOT invertible, and:
 −1  
 −1   1 0 2 1/2 1/2 −1/2
1 2 −2 1
= , 1 −1 1 = 3/4 −3/4 −1/4
3 4 3/2 −1/2
0 −1 3 1/4 −1/4 1/4
 −1  
1 0 2 0 1/2 1/2 −1/2 0  −1  
1 1 1 3 −3 1
1 −1 1 0
 = 3/4
 −3/4 −1/4 0
 , 1 2 4 = −5/2 4 −3/2
0 −1 3 0 1/4 −1/4 1/4 0
1 3 9 1/2 −1 1/2
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1