MATH136: Linear Algebra 1 Winter 2023

Written Assignment 1 Solutions

#» #» #»
Q1. Let #»
u ≠ 0,w #» #»
̸ 0 with w,
= u ∈ R3 be two unparallel vectors; that is, #»
u = #» for any c ∈ R.
̸ cw

( =⇒ direction of the proof:)

Assume that the parallelogram defined by the two vectors #» #» is ”rhombus”. Then,
u and w
according to the properties of rhombus, we get ∥ #» #»
u ∥ = ∥ w∥.
#» #»
Let vectors d 1 , d 2 ∈ R3 be the two diagonals of the parallelogram. Then, we know that one
of the diagonals will be the sum of the two vectors, and the other would be the difference. Let
#» #» + #» #» #» − #» #»
d1 = w u and d 2 = w u . (Note that the other way for the sunbtraction ( d 2 = #» #»
u − w)
produces the same rtesults through the same process)
Dot-producting the two diagonals, we get:

#» #» #» + #» #» − #»
d 1 · d 2 = (w u ) · (w u)

= #» #» − #»
u ·w #» + w
u ·w #» · w
#» − #»
u · #»
u

(By distributivity of dot product)

Knowing that the dot product is commutitive we get #» #» = w

u ·w #» · #»
u and Thus,

#» #»
d 1 · d 2 = #» #» − w
u ·w #» · #» #» · w
u +w #» − #»
u · #»
u

=w #» · w
#» − #»
u · #»
u
√
Also, being aware that #»
u · #»
u = ∥ #»
u ∥2 , (∥ #»
u ∥ = #» u · #» #» · w
u ), and w #» = ∥ w∥
#» 2 we get:

#» #» #» 2 − ∥ #»
d 1 · d 2 = ∥ w∥ u ∥2

As the parallelogram is rhombus, ∥ #» #» as shown above; therefore,

u ∥ = ∥ w∥

#» #» #» 2 − ∥ #»
d 1 · d 2 = ∥ w∥ u ∥2

#» 2 − ∥ w∥
= ∥ w∥ #» 2

=0

.
#» #»
As the dot product of the vectors d 1 and d 2 is 0, then they are orthogonal with an angle of
90 degrees in between.

1
MATH136: Linear Algebra 1 Winter 2023
Written Assignment 1 Solutions

( ⇐= direction of the proof )

#» #» #» and #»
Assume d 1 , d 2 ∈ R3 are the diagonals of the parallelogram defined by w u , that are
#» #»
orthogonal to each other. Then we will have that d 1 · d 2 = 0. As the diagonals of the
#» #» + #» #» #» − #»
parallelogram we let d 1 = w u and d 2 = w u . (Note that the other way for the
#» #» #»
sunbtraction ( d 2 = u − w) produces the same rtesults through the same process). Therefore,

#» #» #» + #» #» − #»
d 1 · d 2 = (w u ) · (w u)

= #» #» − #»
u ·w #» + w
u ·w #» · w
#» − #»
u · #»
u

(By distributivity of dot product)

Knowing that the dot product is commutitive we get #» #» = w

u ·w #» · #»
u and Thus,

#» #»
d 1 · d 2 = #» #» − w
u ·w #» · #» #» · w
u +w #» − #»
u · #»
u

=w #» · w
#» − #»
u · #»
u
√
Also, being aware that #»
u · #»
u = ∥ #»
u ∥2 , (∥ #»
u ∥ = #» u · #» #» · w
u ), and w #» = ∥ w∥
#» 2 we get:

#» #» #» 2 − ∥ #»
d 1 · d 2 = ∥ w∥ u ∥2 = 0

#» 2 = ∥ #»
∴ ∥ w∥ u ∥2 .
#» ∥ #»
Knowing that ∥ w∥, u ∥ >= 0, we conclude that

#» = ∥ #»
∥ w∥ u∥

Which means that the parallelogram is ”rhombus”.

2
MATH136: Linear Algebra 1 Winter 2023
Written Assignment 1 Solutions

Q2. (a) Proof by contradiction:

           
1 

 1 0 
 
 1 0 

        
     

2  1 2   1 2 
Let   ∈ Span   ,   = x   + y   : x, y ∈ R by the definition of the
         
2 

 1 2 



 1 2 


   
3  1 0   1 0 
span, in R4 . Therefore, ∃x, y ∈ R such that:
       
1 1 0 x
       
2 1 2 x + 2y 
  = x  +y   = 
2 x + 2y  by the properties of scalar multiplication and addition.

2 1
       
3 1 0 x
Considering components seperately, we get:
x=1
x + 2y = 2
x + 2y = 2
x=3
However, x cannot be 1 and 3 at the same time. This is axiomatic contradiction.
Therefore the
assumption was wrong and
     
1 

 1 0 
      
2  1 2 4
 ∈
2 / Span 1 , 2 in R .
   
  
    
 
3  1 0 

(b) At first, in R4 ,
         


 1 0 
 
 1 0 


     
     

1 2   1 2 
Let A = Span   ,   = n   + m   : m, n ∈ R
 1 2  1 2 

      
     


 1   
0   1 0 
             


 1 2 0 
 
 1 2 0 


       
       

0 0 1   0 0 1 
and B = Span   ,   ,   = p   + q   + r   : p, q, r ∈ R
           


0 0 1 



 0 0 1 



 1   
2 0   1 2 0 
using the definition of span. Thus, by the properties of scalar multiplication and vector
addition:

3
MATH136: Linear Algebra 1 Winter 2023
Written Assignment 1 Solutions

  


 n 



  
n + 2m 
A= 
  : n, m ∈ R
n + 2m
  
 

 
 n 
  
 p + 2q






  
 r  
B=   : q, p, r ∈ R in R4 .


  r 
 



 p + 2q 

To prove A = B, we need to first prove A ⊆ B and then , B ⊆ A:
(A ⊆ B) :
Let #»
x ∈ A ∈ R4 . Then, for a, b ∈ R we get:
           
1 0 1 0 2 −2
           
#» 1

2 = a 0 + 1 + b 0 +  2  (Prop. of Vec. Addition)
          
x = a 1 + b 2 0 1 0  2 
           
1 0 1 0 2 −2
       
1 2 0 −2
       
0 0 1 2
= a0 + b 0 + a 1 + b  2 
       (Prop. of scalar multiplication)
       
1 2 0 −2
         
1 2 0 −2 0
         
0 0 1  0  2
= a0 + b 0 + a 1 + b  0  + 2
         (Prop. of Vec. Addition)
         
1 2 0 −2 0
         
1 2 0 1 0
         
0 0 1 0 1
= a0 + b 0 + a 1 − 2b 0 + 2b 1 (Prop. of scalar multiplication)
        
         
1 2 0 1 0
     
1 2 0
     
0 0 1
= (a − 2b) 
0 + b 0 + (a + 2b) 1
     (Prop. of scalar multiplication).
     
1 2 0
     
1 2 0
     
0 0 + c 1
Let a − 2b = a′ and a + 2b = c where a′ , c ∈ R. Thus, #»
x = a′ 
     
0 + b 0 1
     
1 2 0

4
MATH136: Linear Algebra 1 Winter 2023
Written Assignment 1 Solutions

where a′ , b, c ∈ R. This is the form of an element in the set B; therefore, #»

x ∈ B and
eventually, A ⊆ B.
(B ⊆ A) :
Let #»
x ∈ B ∈ R4 . Then, for a, b, c ∈ R we get:
     
1 2 0
     
#» 0 0 1
x = a 0 + b 0 + c 1
    
     
1 2 0
         
1 1 0 1 0
         
0 0 −1 1 1
= a0 + b 0 + −1 + 1 + c 1
         (Prop. of Vec. Addition)
         
1 1 0 1 0
         
1 1 0 1 0
         
0 1 1 0 1
= a0 + b 1 − b 1 + b 0 + c 1 (Prop. of scalar multiplication)
        
         
1 1 0 1 0
     
1 1 0
     
0 1 1
0 + b 1 + (c − b) 1
= (a + b)  (Prop. of scalar multiplication)
    
     
1 1 0
       
1 0 1 0
       
1 1 1 1
1 − 1 + b 1 + (c − b) 1
= (a + b)  (Prop. of Vec. Addition)
       
       
1 0 1 0
   
1 0
   
1 1
1 + (c − a − 2b) 1
= (a + 2b)  (Prop. of scalar multiplication)
  
   
1 0
   
1 0
   
1 c−a−2b 2
 
1 + ( 2 ) 2 .
= (a + 2b)   (Prop. of scalar multiplication)
   
1 0

5
MATH136: Linear Algebra 1 Winter 2023
Written Assignment 1 Solutions

   
1 0
   
1 ′ 2
Let a + 2b = a′ and c−a−2b = b′ where a′ , b′ ∈ R. Therefore, #»
x = a′ 
 
1 + b 2 for

2
   
1 0
′ ′ #»
a , b ∈ R. this is the form of an element in the set A; thus, x ∈ A and eventually,
B ⊆ A.
Ultimately, as A ⊆ B and B ⊆ A shown above, it is concluded that A = B in R4 as
desired.

6
MATH136: Linear Algebra 1 Winter 2023
Written Assignment 1 Solutions

Q3. (a) Let #»

v 1 , #»
v 2 , . . . , #»
v k ∈ Rn and #»
x ∈ Rn is orthogonal to all #»
v i where i ∈ N with 0 ≤ i ≤ k.
Assume x ∈ Span{ v , v , . . . , v }. Then, by the definition of span, #»
#»
1
#» #»
2
#»
k x = a #»
1v +a #»
1 2v +2
· · · + ak #»
v k for some ai ∈ R with 0 ≤ i ≤ k.
Knowing that #» x is orthoganal to all #»
v i , we get that #»
x · #»
v i = 0. Thus, for ai ∈ R with
0 ≤ i ≤ k,
#»
x · #»
v 1 = 0 =⇒ a1 ( #»
x · #»
v 1 ) = 0 =⇒ #»
x · (a1 #»
v 1) = 0 (Prop. of dot Prod.)
#»
x · #»
v 2 = 0 =⇒ a2 ( #»
x · #»
v 2 ) = 0 =⇒ #»
x · (a2 #»
v 2) = 0 (Prop. of dot Prod.)
..
.
#»
x · #»
v k = 0 =⇒ ak ( #»
x · #»
v k ) = 0 =⇒ #»
x · (ak #»
v k) = 0 (Prop. of dot Prod.)
Adding the right hand side of the results, we get that:
#»
x · (a #»
v ) + #»
x · (a #»
v ) + · · · + #»
x · (a #»
v )=0
1 1 2 2 k k

∴ #»
x · (a1 #»
v 1 + a2 #»
v 2 + · · · + ak #»
v k) = 0 (Prop. of dot Prod.)

∴ #»
x · #»
x =0 (As established above, #»
x = a1 #»
v 1 + a2 #»
v 2 + · · · + ak #»
v k)

∴ ∥ #»
x ∥2 = 0

∴ ∥ #»
x∥ = 0 (As ∥ #»
x ∥ ≥ 0)
#»
∴ #»
x = 0

(b) Let #»
v ∈ R3 be given. At first we will peove that there exist at least one non-zero vector
 
v1
3 #» #»
in R that is orthogonal to v . Let v = v2 . We will prove this in 4 cases:
 

v3
#»
Case 1: (Where #»
v = 0)
 
a
Pick any u =  b  ∈ R3 where a, b, c ̸= 0. Then, #»
#» v · #»
u = a(0) + b(0) + c(0) = 0.
 

c
Therfore, u is orthoganal to #»
#» v and is non-zero.
Case 2: (Where one component of #» v is 0)
 
v1
#» #»
Let an abituary component of v to be zero. (We will pick v2 ) Then we have v =  0 
 

v3
with v1 , v3 ̸= 0.

7
MATH136: Linear Algebra 1 Winter 2023
Written Assignment 1 Solutions

 
0
Pick any u =  b  ∈ R3 with b ̸= 0. Then, #»
#» v · #»
u = 0(v1 ) + b(0) + 0(v2 ) = 0. Therfore,
 

0
#»
u is orthoganal to #»
v and is non-zero. Similarily, if v1 = 0 or v3 = 0 then the we let the
corresponding component in #»u to be non-zero and the rest to be zero which makes #» u a
non-zero vector orthogonal to #»
v.
Case 3: (Where two components of #»v are 0)
#»
Let two abituary components of v to be zero. (We will pick v1 and v3 ) Then we have
 
0
#»
v = v2  with v2 ̸= 0.
 

0
 
a
Pick any u = 0 ∈ R3 with a, c ̸= 0. Then, #»
#» v · #»
u = a(0) + 0(v2 ) + c(0) = 0. Therfore,
 

c
#»
u is orthoganal to #»
v and is non-zero. Similarily, if any other two components were 0
then the we let the corresponding component in #» u to be non-zero and the rest to be
zero which makes #»
u a non-zero vector orthogonal to #»
v.
#»
Case 4: (Where v is non-zero)
 
v1
#» #»
Let v to be zero. Then we have v = v2  with v1 , v2 , v3 ̸= 0.
 

v3
 
−v3
Pick any u =  0  ∈ R3 . Then, #»
#» v · #»
u = v1 (−v3 ) + v2 (0) + v3 (−v1 ) = 0. Therfore, #»
u
 

−v1
is orthoganal to #»
v and is non-zero.
=⇒ Eventually, we get that there exist at least one non-zero vector in R3 that is
orthoganal to #»
v.
Proof by Contradiction:
#»
Assume R3 = Span{ #» v } for #»
v ∈ R3 . Then, as proven above, ∃ #» x ∈ R3 with #» x ̸= 0 and
that #»
x · #»
v = 0; that is, the non-zero vector #» x is orthogonal to #»
v.
#»
According to part (a), when x · v = 0, if x ∈ Span{ v }, then #»
#» #» #» #» x = 0 . By contraposi-
#»
tivity, we have that when #» x · #»
v = 0, if #»
x ̸= 0 , then #»
x ∈/ Span{ #»
v }.
#»
Now, as we know that x ̸= 0 and x · v = 0, then by part (a), #»
#» #» #» x ∈ / Span{ #»
v }. As
#»
R3 = Span{ v }, we get that x ∈#» / R3 . However, this is contradiction as we already know
that #»
x ∈ R3 . thus, the assumption is false and R3 ̸= Span{ #»
v }.

8
MATH136: Linear Algebra 1 Winter 2023
Written Assignment 1 Solutions

(c) Assume #» v 1 , #»
v 2 ∈ R3 . Let #»
v 1 × #»
v 2 = #»
x ∈ R3 be a vector orthogonal to both #»
v 1 and
#»
v 2 . We prove the statement in two cases:
#»
Case 1: (Where #» x = 0)
#»
According to the WPP1 question No. 7, if #» v 1 × #»
v 2 = #»
x = 0 then #»v 1 and #»
v 2 are
#» #»
parallel to each other. That is, we can write v = c v where c ∈ R:
1 2

Thus,
Span{ #»v 1 , #»
v 2 } = {x #»
v 1 + y #»
v 2 : x, y ∈ R} = {x #»
v 1 + yc #»
v 1 : x, y, c ∈ R} = {(x + yc) #»
v1 :
x, y, c ∈ R} = Span{ v } #»
1
by the definition of span and properties of scalar multiplication.
In part (b) we proved that R3 cannot be spanned by one vector. As Span{ #»
v 1 , #»
v 2} =
#» 3 #» 3 #» #»
Span{ v 1 } and R ̸= Span{ v 1 }, we get R ̸= Span{ v 1 , v 2 }.
Case 2: (Where #» x is non-zero)
Proof by Contradiction:
Let #»
v 1 , #»
v 2 ∈ R3 and #» v 1 × #»
v 2 = #»
x ∈ R3 be a vector orthogonal to both #» v 1 and #» v 2.
3 #» #» #» #» #»
Assume that R = Span{ v 1 , v 2 }. Then, x ∈ Span{ v 1 , v 2 } = R . 3

According to part (a), when #» x is orthoganal to both #»

v 1 and #»
v 2 , if #»
x ∈ Span{ #»
v 1 , #»
v 2 },
#» #» #» #»
then x = 0 . By contrapositivity, we have that under the same conditions, if x ̸= 0 ,
then #»
x ∈/ Span{ #»v , #»
1v }.
2

Now, we know that #»x is non-zero and is orthoganal to #»

v 1 and #»
v 2 ; thus, by part (a),
#»
x ∈ #» #» #»
/ Span{ v , v } and therefore, x ∈ 3
/R .
1 2

However, this contradicts the properties of cross product and the fact that #»
x ∈ R3 .
Thus, the assumption is flase and we get R3 ̸= Span{ #»
v , #»
v }. 1 2

9
MATH136: Linear Algebra 1 Winter 2023
Written Assignment 1 Solutions

#» #»
Q4. Let #»
a , b ∈ R3 . Let d , #»
v , and w #» be non-zero vectors in R3 with #»
v ̸= c w#» for all c ∈ R.
#» #»
Consider the line L = { #»
a + t d : t ∈ R} and the plane P = { b + r #»
v + sw#» : r, s ∈ R}.

( =⇒ Direction)
At first, we prove that if L ⊆ P then #»
a ∈ P. Assume that L ⊆ P, then ( #»
x ∈ L) =⇒ ( #»
x ∈ P)
for ANY t ∈ R.
#» #»
Now, we let #»
x ∈ L = { #»
a + t d : t ∈ R}. We will pick t = 0 and write #»
x = #»
a + (0) d = #»
a ∈ L.
#» #» #»
Also, according to the assumption, x ∈ P. Thus, x = a ∈ P.
#» #»
Secondly, we will prove that if L ⊆ P then d ∈ Span{ #» #»
v , w}. Let #»y = #»a + t d ∈ L for
#» #»
some t ∈ R. Then, as L ⊆ P, we get #» y = #»
a + t d ∈ P = { b + r #»
v + sw#» : r, s ∈ R}; thus,
#» #» #»
a + t d = b + r #» v + sw #» for some r, s ∈ R.
#»
As we proved, under the same conditions, #» a ∈ P; therefore, we can write that #» a = b +
r′ #» #» for r′ , s′ ∈ R. Replacing this into thesbove equation we get:
v + s′ w
#» #» #»
a + t d = b + r #» v + sw #»
#» #» + t #» #»
∴ b + r′ #»
v + s′ w d = b + r #» #»
v + sw

∴ r′ #» #» + t #»
v + s′ w d = r #»v + sw #» (Prop. of Vec. Addition)
#»
∴ t d = r #»
v − r′ #»v + sw #» − s′ w#»
#»
∴ t d = (r − r′ ) #»v + (s − s′ ) w#» (Prop. of scalar multiplication)
#» ′ #» s−s′ #»
∴ d = ( r−rt ) v + ( t )w (Prop. of scalar multiplication)
r−r′ ′
′ ′ #» #» ′ #» ′
Let t= c and s−st = c with c, c ∈ R. Therefore, d = c v + c w with c, c ∈ R.
As Span{ #» #» = {m #»
v , w} #» : m, n ∈ R} we conclude that #»
v + nw d = c #» #» ∈ {m #»
v + c′ w #» :
v + nw
m, n ∈ R} = Span{ #» #» Therefore, #»
v , w}. d ∈ Span{ #» #»
v , w}.
#»
Ultimately, as proven above, if L ⊆ P then both #»
a ∈ P and d ∈ Span{ #» #»
v , w}.
( ⇐= Direction)
#» #»
Assume #» a ∈ P and d ∈ Span{ #» #» Therefore, we can write #»
v , w}. a = b + r #»v + sw #» for some
#»
s, r ∈ R and d = c #» v + c′ w#» with c, c′ ∈ R.
#»
Let #» x ∈ L. Therefore, #» x = #»a + t d for a t ∈ R. substituting the above equations we get:
#» #»
x = #» a + td
#»
= ( b + r #» #» + (c #»
v + s w) #»
v + c′ w)
#»
= b + (r + c) #» #»
v + (s + c′ ) w (Prop. of scalar multiplication)
#»
Writing (r + c) = r′ and (s + c′ ) = s′ with r′ , s′ ∈ R we have: #» x = b + r′ #» #»
v + s′ w.

10
MATH136: Linear Algebra 1 Winter 2023
Written Assignment 1 Solutions

This is the form of the set P; thus, #»

x ∈ P. At the end we get that ( #»
x ∈ L) =⇒ ( #»
x ∈ P).
Therefore, L ⊆ P.
Ultimately, resluting from both direstions we get that L ⊆ P if and only if #»
a ∈ P and
#» #» #»
d ∈ Span{ v , w}.

11