Math 114 | Linear Algebra

Span and Linear

Independence
Span
Let v1, v2, . . . , vn be vectors in the vector space V. The span
of these vectors, denoted by span {v1, v2, . . . , vn }, is the subset
of V consisting of all possible linear combinations of these
vectors, i.e.,
span {v1, v2, . . . , vn } = {c1v1 + c2v2 + . . . + cnvn | ci are scalars}

Example
1. Let 𝑆 = 𝑡 2 , 𝑡, 1 be a subset of P2. Show that span S = P2.
2. Consider the set S of 2 × 3 matrices given by

2
Theorem 3
Let v1, v2, . . . , vn be vectors in the vector space V. Then
W = span {v1, v2, . . . , vn }, is a subspace of V.

3
Spanning Set
If W = span{v1, v2, . . . , vn }, we say that {v1, v2, . . . , vn} is a
spanning set for the vector space W, and that W is spanned by
the vectors v1, v2, . . . , vn.

Example
2 1
1. In ℝ3 , let 𝐯1 = 1 , and 𝐯2 = −1 . Determine whether
1 3
1
the vector 𝐯 = 5 belongs to span{v1, v2}.
−7

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2. In 𝑃2 , let 𝐯1 = 2𝑡 2 + 𝑡 + 2, 𝐯2 = 𝑡 2 − 2𝑡, 𝐯3 = 5𝑡 2 − 5𝑡 + 2,
𝐯4 = −𝑡 2 − 3𝑡 − 2. Determine whether the vector 𝐯 = 𝑡 2 + 𝑡 + 2
belongs to span{v1, v2, v3, v4}.

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Theorem 4
Let v1, v2, . . . , vn be vectors in the vector space V and w1, w2, . . . , wn
be vectors in span{v1, v2, . . . , vn }. Then
span {w1, w2, . . . , wn } ⊆ span{v1, v2, . . . , vn}.

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Example
Show that

Why might one prefer the first spanning set?

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Linearly Dependent or Independent Vectors
The vectors v1, v2, . . . , vn are said to be lineary dependent if
there exist scalars c1, c2, …, cn not all zero, such that
c1v1 + c2v2 + . . . + cnvn = 0. (1)
Otherwise, the vectors are called linearly independent.
Example
Show that any list of vectors that contains the zero vector is
linearly dependent.

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Example 3 1 −1
Determine whether the vectors 𝐯1 = 2 , 𝐯2 = 2 , 𝐯3 = 2 are
1 3 −1
linearly independent.

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Exercises
3 1 −1
1. Show that 𝑆 = 2 , 2 , 2 is linearly independent set
1 3 −1
in ℝ3 .
1 2 1 0
2. 0 −1 0 0 derived from (1). Is the set linearly
0 0 2 0
independent? Explain/Show.
3. For what values of c are the vectors
−1 0 −1 , 2 1 2 and 1 1 𝒄 in ℝ3 linear
dependent? Explain/Show.

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