Homework # 2 Solutions

Math 152, Fall 2014

Instructor: Dr. Doreen De Leon

p. 48: 26, 38
26. Suppose A is the 3 × 3 zero matrix (with all zero entries). Describe the solution set of
the equation Ax = 0.

Solution: First, look at Ax:

        
0 0 0 x1 0 0 0
Ax = 0 0 0 x2 = x1 0 + x2 0 + x3 0
        
0 0 0 x3 0 0 0
 
0
= 0 = 0.

0
This is true for any x ∈ R3 , so the solution set of the equation is R3 .
38. Let A be an m × n matrix and let w be a vector in Rn that satisfies the equation Ax = 0.
Show that for any scalar c, the vector cw also satisfies Ax = 0.

Solution: We need to show that A(cw) = 0.

A(cw) = c(Aw)
= c(0)
= 0.
Therefore, cw solves the equation Ax = 0.

p. 61: 12, 36
12. Find the value(s) of h for which the vectors are linearly dependent. Justify each answer.
     
3 −6 9
−6 ,  4 , h
1 3 3

1
 Solution: If we denote the vectors as v1 , v2 , and v3 , respectively, then the vectors are
linearly dependent if there is a nontrivial solution of

x1 v1 + x2 v2 + x3 v3 = 0.

The solution of the vector equation is the same as the solution of the system whose
augmented matrix is
     
3 −6 9 | 0 r → 1 r 1 −2 3 | 0 1 −2 3 | 0
1 3 1 r2 →r2 +6r1
−6 4 h | 0 −−−−→ −6
  4 h | 0 −−−−−−→ 0 −8 h + 18 |
  0
r3 →r3 −r1
1 −3 3 | 0 1 −3 3 | 0 0 −1 0 | 0
   
1 −2 3 | 0 1 −2 3 | 0
r2 ↔r3 r3 →r3 −8r2
−−−→ 0 −1
 0 | 0 −−−−−−→ 0 −1
  0 | 0
0 −8 h + 18 | 0 0 0 h + 18 | 0

This system has a nontrivial solution if h + 18 = 0. Therefore, the vectors are linearly
dependent if h = −18 .

36. If v1 , v2 , v3 are in R3 and v3 is not a linear combination of v1 and v2 , then {v1 , v2 , v3 }

is linearly independent.

Solution: This is a false statement. Let

     
1 −1 1
v1 = 2 , v2 = −2 , v3 = 0 .
3 −3 0

Then v3 is not a linear combination of v1 and v2 . We can see this by solving

c 1 v1 + c 2 v2 = v3 ,

which has the augmented matrix

 
1 −1 | 1
2 −2 | 0 .
3 −3 | 0

The echelon form of this matrix is

 
1 −1 | 1
0 0 | 2 .
0 0 | 0

Therefore, there is no solution. We also have

1v1 + 1v2 + 0v3 = 0,

a linear dependence relation. Therefore, the vectors are linearly dependent.

2
p. 69-70: 24, 36
24. An affine transformation T : Rn → Rn has the form T (x) = Ax + b, with A an m × n
matrix and b ∈ Rm . Show that T is not a linear transformation when b 6= 0. (Affine
transformations are important in computer graphics.)
Solution: For any vectors u, v ∈ Rn ,

T (u + v) = A(u + v) + b
T (u) + T (v) = Au + b + Av + b
= A(u + v) + 2b 6= T (u + v) unless b = 0.

Therefore, T is not a linear transformation when b 6= 0.

Alternate solution: T (0) = A(0) + b = b 6= 0, so T is not a linear transformation
when b 6= 0.

36. Let T : Rn → Rm be a linear transformation. Suppose {u, v} is a linearly independent

set, but {T (u), T (v)} is a linearly dependent set. Show that T (x) = 0 has a nontrivial
solution.
Solution: Since {T (u), T (v)} is linearly dependent, there exist constants c1 and c2 , not
both zero, such that
c1 T (u) + c2 T (u) = 0.
Since T is linear, c1 T (u) + c2 T (u) = T (c1 u1 + c2 u2 ). So, x = c1 u + c2 v is such that
T (x) = 0. Since {u, v} is linearly independent, we know that x 6= 0. (Otherwise, there
would be a nontrivial linear combination of u and v that is zero, which is impossible.)
Therefore, the equation T (x) = 0 has a nontrivial solution.