Example from last class:

vectora1=[1,-1,2] vector a2 =[1,-2,0] vector a3=[0,1,2]

Q: Is S={a1,a2,a3} linearly independent or dependent?
If dependent, find a dependence relation.
Set x1a1 +x2a2 + x3a3 = 0
[a1 a2 a3 | 0] = Ax=0
A=[a1 a2 a3]

Theorem
The vectors {a1,...an} in R^m is linearly dependent
- [a1,...an|0] has a non-trivial solution(some xk not equal to 0)
- rank(A) <n
- # of free variables >0
- n-rankA>0
- rankA<n

RECALL: rankA = # of non-zero rows in RREF(A)<=m

= # of pivot columns in RREF(A)<=n
m*n
rankA<= min{m,n}

Theorem If A is m*n with m<n

then ax=0 has non-trivial solution

# free variables = n-rankA >=n-m>0

CONSEQUENCE:
A set of n vectors in R^m is dependent if m<n
Reason: {a1,...an} is dependent in R^m
- [a1,...an|0] has a non-trivial solution

3.1 Matrix operations