Linear Algebra through Matrices

Department of Mathematics and Statistics Indian Institute of Technology - Kanpur

Lecture - 1 A: Notation and Motivation

1 Notation and Motivation

1. The empty set, denoted ;, is the set that has no element.
2. N := {1, 2, . . .}, the set of Natural numbers.
3. Z := {0, 1, 1, 2, 2, . . .}, the set of Integers.
4. Q := { pq : p, q 2 Z, q 6= 0}, the set of Rational numbers.
5. R := the set of Real numbers.
6. C := the set of Complex numbers = {a + ib : a, b 2 R}.
7. All our vectors are column vectors.

Recall that all of us have solved a linear system of 3 equations in 3 unknowns. So, to start with,
let us consider a few linear systems of 2 equations in 2 unknowns.

Example 1.1. 1. Consider the linear system

)
2x + 5y = 7
(1.1)
2x + 4y = 6.

The two linear systems represent a pair of non-parallel lines in R2 . Note that x = 1, y = 1 is
the unique solution of the given system as (1, 1) is the point of intersection of the two given
lines 2x + 5y = 7 and 2x + 4y = 6. But, we also see that
" # " # " #
2 5 7
·1+ ·1= ,
2 4 6

which corresponds to the solution of

" # " # " # ( )
2 5 7 2x + 5y = 7
·x+ ·y = , (1.2)
2 4 6 2x + 4y = 6.
" # " # " #
7 2 5
Equation (1.2) also implies that we can write the vector as sum of the vectors and .
6 2 4
So, even though we were looking at the point of intersection of two lines, an interpretation of
the solution gives information about vectors in R2 .
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2. Consider the linear system 9

>
x + 5y + 4z = 11 >
=
x + 6y 7z = 1 (1.3)
>
>
2x + 11y 3z = 12. ;

Here, we have three planes in R3 and an easy observation implies that the third equation is
the sum of the first two equations. Hence, the line of intersection of the first two planes is
contained in the third plane. Hence, this system has infinite number of solutions given by

x = 61 59k, y = 10 + 11k, z = k with k arbitrary real number.

For example, verify that for k = 1, we get x = 2, y = 1 and z = 1 as a possible solution. Also,
2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3
1 5 4 11 1 5 4
6 7 6 7 6 7 6 7 6 7 6 7 6 7
617 · 2 + 6 6 7 · 1 + 6 77 · 1 = 6 1 7 = 617 · 61 + 6 6 7 · ( 10) + 6 77 · 0,
4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5
2 11 3 12 2 11 3

where the second

2 3 part corresponds to k = 0 as 2a possible
3 2 3 solution.
2 Thus,
3 we again see that
11 1 5 4
6 7 6 7 6 7 6 7
the vector 4 1 5 is a sum of the three vectors 415, 4 6 5 and 4 77
6 7 6 7 6 7 6
5 (which are associated
12 2 11 3
with the unknowns x, y and z, respectively) after multiplying by certain scalars which itself
appear as solutions of the linear system.
Before going to the next example, also note that the numbers 59, 11 and 1, which appear
as coefficients of k in the solution satisfies
2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3
1 5 4 0
6 7 6 7 6 7 6 7
617 · ( 59) + 6 6 7 · 11 + 6 77 · 1 = 607.
4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5
2 11 3 0

3. As a last example, consider the linear system

9
x + 5y + 4z = 11 >
>
=
x + 6y 7z = 1 (1.4)
>
>
2x + 11y 3z = 13. ;

Here, we see that if we add the first two equations and subtract it with the third equation
then we are left with 0x + 0y + 0z = 1, which has no solution. That is, the above system has
no solution. I leave it to the readers to verify that there does not exist any x, y and z such
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that 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3
1 5 4 11
6 7 6 7 6 7 6 7
6 17 · x + 6 6 7 · y + 6 77 · z = 6 1 7 .
4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5
2 11 3 13

Remark 1.2. So, what we see above is “each of the linear systems gives us certain ‘relationships’
between vectors which are ‘associated’ with the unknowns”. These relationships will lead to the
study of certain objects when we study “vector spaces”. They are as follows:
1. The first idea of ‘relationship’ that helps us to write a vector
" in# terms of other vectors will
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lead us to the study of ’linear combination’ of vectors. So, is a ‘linear combination’ of
6
2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3
" # " # 11 1 5 4
2 5 6 7 6 7 6 7 6 7
and . Similarly, 6 7 6 7 6 7 6 7
4 1 5 is a ‘linear combination’ of 415, 4 6 5 and 4 75.
2 4
12 2 11 3

2. Further, note that it also leads to the study of ‘linear span’ of a set. A positive answer leads
to the vector being an element of the ‘linear8span;
2 3 and
2 3a negative
2 39 answer to ‘NOT
2 3an element
>
> 1 5 4 > 11
<6 7 6 7 6 7> = 6 7
of the linear span’. For example, for S = 6 7 6 7 6 7 6 7
415, 4 6 5, 4 75>, the vector 4 1 5 belongs to
>
> >
: 2 11 3 ; 12
2 3
11
6 7
the ‘linear span’ of S, whereas, 4 1 7
6
5 does NOT belong to the ‘linear span’ of S.
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