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Qn. 1 (20 marks) Choose a correct option for each question. No justification is required. Each
correct answer is worth 4 marks (no deduction for wrong answers).

Write down your answers into the boxes provided at the bottom of next page.

(i) Let T : Rp → Rq be a linear transformation which is one-to-one but not onto. What can we
conclude on the relation of integers p, q?

(A) p > q (B) p = q (C)∗ p < q (D) cannot be determined.

Solution: The standard matrix A will have size q × p. Since T is one-to-one, every column
of A should have a pivot position, and hence A contains p pivot positions. As T is not onto,
A should have a row without pivot position. Thus q > p.

(ii) Let {u, v, w} be a linearly independent set of vectors in R4 . Which of the following is again
a linearly independent set?

(A) {u − v, v − w, w − u}.
(B)* {u + v, v + w, w + u}.
(C) {u + v − 2w, u − 2v + w, −2u + v + w}.
(D) None of the above.

Solution: (A) is a linearly dependent set as the vector equation has non-zero solution:

1 · (u − v) + 1 · (v − w) + 1 · (w − u) = 0.

(C) will give linearly dependent set when u = e1 , v = e2 , w = e3 as the following matrix is
not invertible:  
1 1 −2
 1 −2 1  .
−2 1 1
(B) is linearly independent because if c1 , c2 , c3 are such that:

c1 (u + v) + c2 (v + w) + c3 (w + v) = 0
(c1 + c3 )u + (c1 + c2 )v + (c2 + c3 )w = 0

From linear independence of {u, v, w} we get c1 + c3 = c1 + c2 = c2 + c3 = 0. This has unique

solution c1 = c2 = c3 = 0 and hence (B) is a linearly independent set.

(iii) Let T : R4 → R3 be a linear transformation such that:

T (e1 ) = e2 + e3 , T (e2 ) = e3 + e1 , T (e3 ) = e1 + e2 ,

but T (e4 ) is unknown (ei denotes the standard vector in R4 /R3 with i-th entry equal 1, other
entries equal zeros). Then the one-to-one / onto properties of T will be:

(A) T must be one-to-one but not onto.

(B)* T must be onto but not one-to-one.
(C) T must be neither one-to-one nor onto.
(D) None of the above.

1
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Solution: The standard matrix of T will have the form:

     
0 1 1 ∗ r ↔r 1 0 1 ∗∗ −r +r 1 0 1 ∗∗∗
1 2 2 3
 1 0 1 ∗  −−− −→  0 1
−− 1 ∗∗  −−−−− −→  0 1 1 ∗ ∗ ∗  .
−r1 +r3
1 1 0 ∗ 0 1 −1 ∗∗ 0 0 −2 ∗ ∗ ∗

So, every row of A contains a pivot position ⇒ T is onto.

Fourth column of A contains no pivot position ⇒ T is not one-to-one.

(iv) Let A, B be n×n invertible matrices such that A+B is also invertible. Which of the following
will again be invertible?

(A)∗ A−1 + B −1 (B) A + B −1 (C) A−1 + B (D) none of the previous.

Solution: As A−1 + B −1 = A−1 (A + B)B −1 is a product of invertible matrices, it will be

invertible. (B) and (C) may not give invertible matrix as the following counter example
demonstrates:
       
1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0
+ is invertible, but + is not invertible.
0 −2 0 12 0 −2 0 2

(v) Let A, B, C be n × n matrices and assume C is invertible. Which of the following conditions
will imply that A is row-equivalent to B?

(A) A + B = C.
(B) A = BC.
(C)* AB = C.
(D) None of the above.

Solution: If AB = C is invertible, both A and B must be invertible. Hence A and B are

row-equivalent to In and therefore they will be row-equivalent. (A) is not true: just consider
the special case when A = C, B = O.
(B) is not true as it is a condition for “column”-equivalent: consider the counter-example:
        
1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1
= , is not row-equivalent to .
1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1

Questions: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v)

Answers: C B B A C

... to be continued by Qn. 2

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Qn. 2 (20 marks) Let k denote a real number. Consider the linear system:

kx1 + x2 = k 2


x1 + kx2 = 1

Find the value(s) of k such that the above system has:

(a) a unique solution (b) no solution (c) infinitely many solutions.

For case (c), express the general solution in parametric vector form.
Solution: Perform EROs to the augmented matrix:

k 1 k 2 r1 ↔r2 1 k 1 −kr1 +r2 1

     
k 1
−−−−−
−→ −−−
−−−→
1 k 1 k 1 k2 0 1 − k2 k2 − k

(a) If 1 − k 2 6= 0, we have x1 , x2 both being basic variables and hence the solution is unique. i.e.
k 6= ±1 for unique solution.
 
(b) If k = −1, the last row of the augmented matrix becomes 0 0 2 and hence the system is
inconsistent.

(c) If k = 1, the last row of the augmented matrix becomes a zero row, and x2 will be a free
variable. Hence the system will have infinitely many solution.
Set x2 = s, then x1 = 1 − s. General solution in parametric vector form is:
       
x1 1−s 1 −1
= = +s , where s is free.
x2 s 0 1

... to be continued by Qn. 3

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Qn. 3 (20 marks)

(a) Find the inverse (if exists) of the following matrix:

 
1 0 2 0
1 1 2 2
A= 2 0 3
.
0
0 2 0 3

(b) Let T : R4 → R4 be a linear transformation such that:

T (e1 + e2 + 2e3 ) = e1 , T (e2 + 2e4 ) = e2

T (2e1 + 2e2 + 3e3 ) = e3 , T (2e2 + 3e4 ) = e4

(ei denotes the standard vector in R4 with i-th entry equal 1, other entries equal zeros.)
Find the standard matrix B of T .
[Note: Result in (a) is helpful.]

Solution: (a) We perform EROs to the combined matrix [ A | I4 ]:

   
1 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 0
1 1 2 2 0 1 0 0 −r1 +r2  0 1 0 2 −1 1 0 0 
  −−−−−−→  
2 0 3 0 0 0 1 0  −2r1 +r3  0 0 −1 0 −2 0 1 0 
0 2 0 3 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 0 0 1
   
1 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 −3 0 2 0
−2r2 +r4  0 1 0 2 −1 1 0 0  −2r3 +r1  0 1 0 2 −1 1 0 0 
−−−−−
−→   −−−−−
−→  
−r3  0 0 1 0 2 0 −1 0  −r4  0 0 1 0 2 0 −1 0 
0 0 0 −1 2 −2 0 1 0 0 0 1 −2 2 0 −1
 
1 0 0 0 −3 0 2 0
−2r4 +r2  0 1 0 0 3 −3 0 2 
−−−−−
−→  0 0 1 0 2

0 −1 0 
0 0 0 1 −2 2 0 −1

Hence A is invertible and:  

−3 0 2 0
 3 −3 0 2 
A−1 =
 2
.
0 −1 0 
−2 2 0 −1
(b) Let B denote the standard matrix of T . Then the given conditions become:
               
1 1 0 0 2 0 0 0
1 0 1 1 2 0 2 0
2 = 0, B0 = 0, B3 = 1, B 0 = 0,
B               

0 0 2 0 0 0 3 1

which can be combined as BA = I4 . Hence B is exactly the inverse of A in (a), namely:

 
−3 0 2 0
 3 −3 0 2 
B = A−1 =   2
.
0 −1 0 
−2 2 0 −1

... to be continued by Qn. 4

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Qn. 4 (20 marks) Consider the points A(1, 0, 0), B(0, 1, 0), C(0, 0, 1), B 0 (0, −1, 0), and the following
two rotations in the space R3 :
(i) R1 : rotate about the axis `1 from O to the circumcenter of 4ABC through 120◦ following
the right-hand-rule;
(ii) R2 : rotate about the axis `2 from O to the circumcenter of 4ACB 0 through 120◦ following
the right-hand-rule.
[Note: both rotations will rotate the triangles back to their original positions.]
z z
`1
C C
120◦
120◦ `2

y y
B B0
A
A
x x
(i) (ii)

(a) Write down the standard matrices of R1 and R2 .

(b) Let T denote the combined transformation obtained by first performing R1 , then followed by
R2 . Find the standard matrix of T .
(c) The transformation T in (b) can be obtained by combining two reflections about suitable
coordinate planes (i.e. xy-plane, yz-plane, or xz-plane). What are the coordinate planes in
the two reflections respectively?
Solution:
(a) Since R1 and R2 will do:
R1 : e1 → e2 , e 2 → e3 , e3 → e1
R2 : e1 → e3 , e3 → −e2 , −e2 → e1
or e1 → e3 , e2 → −e1 , e3 → −e2
The standard matrices of R1 and R2 are:
   
0 0 1 0 −1 0
R1 :  1 0 0  R2 :  0 0 −1  .
0 1 0 1 0 0

(b) We can check the actions of T on {e1 , e2 , e3 }:

R R
e1 →1 e2 →2 −e1 = T (e1 )
R R
e2 →1 e3 →2 −e2 = T (e2 )
R R
e3 →1 e1 →2 e3 = T (e3 )
So the standard matrix of T is:  
−1 0 0
 0 −1 0 
0 0 1
(c) As T changes the signs of x- and y-coordinates, it is given by the reflection about the yz-plane
and the reflection about the xz-plane.
... to be continued by Qn. 5

5
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Qn. 5 (20 marks) Let xi (i = 1, 2, 3, 4) and yj (j = 1, 2, 3) be real numbers. Find the determinant
of the following matrix (use suitable row operations):
 
x1 x2 x 3 x 4
 1 x2 x 3 x 4 
A=  y1 2 x 3 x 4  .


y3 y2 3 x 4

What are those values of xi , yj so that A is invertible?

Solution: By performing EROs −r1 + r2 , −r1 + r3 , −r1 + r4 , we get:

   
 x1 x2 x3 x4   x1 x2 x3 x4 

 1 x2 x3 x4   1 − x1 0 0 0 
det A =  =
 y1 2 x 3 x 4   y 1 − x1 2 − x 2
 0 0 
 y3 y2 3 x 4   y 3 − x 1 y 2 − x2 3 − x 3 0 

Then by cofactor expansion down the 4th column, we get:

 
 x1 x2 x3 x4 

 1 − x1 0 0 0 
det A = 
 y1 − x 1 2 − x 2 0 0 
 y 3 − x 1 y 2 − x2 3 − x 3 0 
 
 1 − x1 0 0 
4+1 
 
= x4 · (−1)  y 1 − x1 2 − x 2 0  = −x4 (1 − x1 )(2 − x2 )(3 − x3 ).
 y 3 − x 1 y 2 − x2 3 − x 3 

For A being invertible, we need det A 6= 0. So the values for invertibility of A are:

x1 6= 1, x2 6= 2, x3 6= 3, x4 6= 0,

and y1 , y2 , y3 can be any value.

— END —