Dimension and the Rank-Nullity Theorem

Definition. The rank of a matrix A is the dimension of the image of the matrix, rank A = dim(im A).
The nullity of a matrix A is the dimension of ker A.

1. Let L be a line through the origin in R2 .

(a) What is the rank of projL ? What is the nullity of projL ?

(b) What is the rank of ref L (reflection over L)? What is the nullity of ref L ?

2. (a) If you have an n m matrix A, how do you find vectors that span ker A? (You showed in Problem
Set 10, #1 that ker A is a subspace of Rm .)

(b) If you have an n m matrix A, how do you find vectors that span im A?

1
0 1
3
4 1
2
7
and ~v1 , . . . , ~v6 be the columns of A. You know how to find
7
0
4 6
9 1 1 12

1 0
3 0 2
4
0 1 2 0
1 1
.
rref(A), so Ill just tell you what it is: rref(A) =
0 0
0 1 5
0
0 0
0 0
0
0

1 1
2 1
3. Let A =
1 2
3 0

(a) (Problem Set 10, #6(b)) Find a basis of ker A.

(b) What is dim(ker A)? In general, how does the nullity of a matrix A relate to the number of free
and leading variables in the system A~x = ~0?


c1
c2

c3

(c) (Problem Set 10, #6(c)) For each basis vector ~c =

c4 that you found in problem (a), find

c5
c6
c1~v1 + c2~v2 + c3~v3 + c4~v4 + c5~v5 + c6~v6 . (Why does your answer make sense?)

(d) Find a basis of im A. How does dim(im A) relate to dim(ker A)?

2
4. Let A = 1
1
rank A?

4
2
2

1
1
1
1
5. Given that rref(A) = 0
3 7
0

2
0
0

0
1
0

2
3, find a basis of im A. What is
0

5. True or false.
(a) If A is a 4 3 matrix and the equation A~x = ~0 has no nonzero solutions, then rank A = 3.

(b) There is a linear transformation T : R4 R3 with kernel {~0}.

(c) If A is a 4 3 matrix and the equation A~x = ~0 has no nonzero solutions, then A~x = ~e1 must be
consistent.

(d) There is a 3 6 matrix whose kernel is two-dimensional.

(e) If A is a 32 matrix whose image is a line passing through the origin, then there exist two linearly
independent vectors in ker(A).

1
(f) If A is a 3 5 matrix whose kernel is 2-dimensional, then the system A~x = 3 has infinitely
5
many solutions.

(g) There exists a 5 4 matrix whose image is R5 .