SURIGAO STATE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

LINEAR ALGEBRA
Chapter 4.4 (Span)

Submitted by:
4.4 Span

DEFINITION 4.7 If S = { v 1 , v 2 , … , v k } is a set of vectors in a vector space V. then

the set of all vectors in V that are linear combinations of the
vectors in S is denoted by

span S or span { v 1 , v 2 , … , v k }.

Example: Consider the set S of 2 x 3 matrices given by

1 0 0 , 0 1 0 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0
S= {[ ][
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 ][ ][ ]}
Then span S is the set in M 23 consisting of all vectors of the form

a [ 10 0 0
0 0
+b
0 1 0
0 0 0 ] [
+c
0 0 0
0 1 0
+d
0 0 0
] [ ] [ ]
0 0 1

a b 0
=[
0 c d]
, where a, b, c, and d are real numbers.

That is, span S is the subset of M 23 consisting of all matrices of

the form

[ a0 b 0
c d ]
, where a, b, c, and d are real numbers.

Theorem 4.4 Let S = { v 1 , v 2 , … , v k } be a set of vectors in a vector space V.

Then span S is a subspace of V.

Proof:
k k
Let u=∑ a j v j and w=∑ b j v j
j =1 j=1

for some real numbers a 1 , a2 , … , a and b 1 , b2 , … , bk . We have

k k
u+ w=∑ a j v j + ∑ b j v j ,
j=1 j=1

using Exercise 17 (a) and (b) in Section 1.2. Moreover, for any
real number c.

k k
cu=c (∑ ) ∑
j=1
aj v j =
j=1
c ¿¿ ¿
 Since the slim u + w and the scalar multiple cu are linear
combinations of the vectors in S, then span S is a subspace of V.

DEFINITION 4.8 Let S be a set of vectors in a vector space V. If every vector in V

is a linear combination of the vectors in S, then the set S is said
to span V, or V is spanned by the sel S; that is, span S = V.

Example: In R3, let

2 1

[]
v1 = 1
1
and
[]
v 2= −1
3

Determine whether the vector

1
v= 5
−7[]
belongs to span { v 1 , v 2 }.

Solution: If we can find scalars a 1 and a 2 such that

a 1 v 1 +a 2 v 2=v

then v belongs to span { v 1 , v 2 }. Substituting for v1 , v 2 and , we

have

2 1 1

1[] [ ] [ ]
a 1 1 +¿ a 2 −1 =¿ 5
3 −7

This expression corresponds to the linear system whose

augmented matrix is

2 1 1

[ 1−1 ⋮ 5
1 3 −7 ]
The reduced row echelon form of this system is (verify)

10 2

[ ] 0 1 ⋮−3
00 0
 which indicates that the linear system is consistent, a 1= 2, and a 2
= 3. Hence v belongs 10 span { v 1 , v 2 } .

Example: In P2, let

v1 =2t 2 +t+2, v 2=t 2 −2t, v3 =5 t 2−5 t +2,

v 4=−t 2−3 t −2,

Determine whether the vector

v=t 2+t +2,

Belong to span { v 1 , v 2 , v 3 , v 4 }

Solution: If we can find scalars a 1 , a2 , a3 and a 4so that

a 1 v 1 +a 2 v 2+ a3 v 3+ a4 v 4=v

then v belongs to span { v 1 , v 2 , v 3 , v 4 } . Substituting for v1 , v 2 , v 3 and.

v 4 we have

a 1 ( 2 t 2 +t +2 ) +a2 (t 2−2 t)+a 3 (5t 2−5 t +2 ,)+a 4 (−t 2−3 t−2)=t 2+ t+2

or

( 2 a1 +a 2+5 a 3−a 4 ) t2 +(a1−2 a2 −5 a3−3 a 4 )t +(2 a1 +2 a3 −2 a4 )+¿ t2 +t +2

Now two polynomials agree for all values of t only if the

coefficients of respective powers of t agree. Thus we get the
linear system

2 a1 +a2 +5 a3 −a 4=1
a 1−2 a2−5 a3 −3 a4 =1
2 a1 +2 a3−2 a 4=2
To determine whether this system of linear equations is
consistent. We form the augmented matrix and transform it to
reduced row echelon form, obtaining (verify)

1 0 1 −1 0

[ 0 1 3 1 0
0 0 0 0 1 ]
which indicates that the system is inconsistent; that is, it has no
solution. Hence v does not belong to span { v 1 , v 2 , v 3 , v 4 } .
Exercises: 1. For each of the following vector spaces. give two different
spanning sets:

(a) R3 (b) M 22 (c) P2

2. In each part. determine whetrer the given vector p(t) in P2

belongs to span { p1 ( t ) , p2 ( t ) , p3 (t )} where

p1 (t )=¿ t 2+ 2t +1, p2 ( t )=¿ t 2+ 3, and p3 ( t ) =t−1

(a) p(t) = t 2+ t+2

(b) p(t) = 2 t 2 +2 t+3
(c) p(t) = −t 2+ t−4
(d) p(t) = −2 t 2 +3 t+ 1

3. Which of the following sets of vectors span R4 ?

(a) [ 1 0 0 1 ], [ 0 1 0 0 ] ,
[ 1 1 1 1] ,[ 1 1 1 0 ]

(b) [ 1 2 1 0 ], [ 1 1−1 0 ] , [ 0 0 0 1 ]
Answer key: 1. (a) Possible answers

1 1 1 0 0 1

{[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]}
0 , 1 , 1 , 0 , 1 , 1
0 0 1 1 1 1

(b) Possible answers

1 0 , 0 1 , 0 0 , 0 0 , 1 0 , 1 1 , 1 1 , 1 1
{[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]}
0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1

(c) Possible answers

{ t 2 ,t +1 ,t −1 } , { t 2+ t , t2−t , t+1 }
2. (a) Yes. (b) No. (c) Yes. (d ) No.

3. (a)