University of Ottawa

MAT 1332 – Practice midterm

Solution: Answers to practice test. These are not full solutions; be sure
to read the instructions on the test to understand when you need to show
your work and justify your answers.

Question 1: Consider the following system of linear equations:

2x + 4y 3z =3
x 3y + z =4
3x + y 2z =7
4x 2y z = 11

(a) Give the augmented matrix corresponding to this linear system.

(b) Reduce the augmented matrix to RREF (reduced row echelon form).

(c) Explain, with reference to the RREF, whether this system has no solu-
tion, a unique solution, or infinitely many solutions.

(d) Give the general solution to this linear system. Write ; for the empty
set, if there are no solutions.
2 3
2 4 3 3
61 3 1 47
Solution: (a) 6 43 1
7
2 75
4 2 1 11
2 1 5
3
1 0 2 2
60 1 1 17
6
(b) 4 2 2 7 (Show your work)
0 0 0 0 5
0 0 0 0
(c) Since there is no row with 0s in the coefficient matrix and a nonzero value
in the augmented column, the system is consistent. Since the third column
has no leading one in the RREF, z is a free variable and the system has
infinitely many solutions.
(d) x = 52 + 12 t, y = 12 + 12 t, z = t, where t 2 R is a free parameter.
 2

Question 2: For each of the following matrices, first decide if the matrix
is in RREF (reduced row echelon form). Then identify if the corresponding
system has no solution, a unique solution, or infinitely many solutions.
2 3
3 2 0 0
(a) 40 1 0 05 : RREF? Number of solutions?
0 0 0 1
2 3
1 2 0 0 3
(b) 40 0 1 0 45 : RREF? Number of solutions?
0 0 0 1 3
2 3
1 2 0
(c) 40 1 05 : RREF? Number of solutions?
0 0 0

Solution: (a) NO, none; (b) yes, infinitely many; (c) no; one.

Question 3: Consider the following linear system, in which x, y, z represent

the variables and a, b, c are some unknown parameters.

ax + y + z = c
x 3y + z = 3
3x 8y + 2z = 5

For which values of the parameters a, b, c does the following linear system
have Solution: Row reduce:
2 3 2 3
a 1 1 c 1 3 1 3
41 3 1 35 ⇠ 4a 1 1 c 5
3 8 2 5 3 8 2 5
2 3 2 3
1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3
⇠ 40 1 + 3a 1 a c 3a5 ⇠ 40 1 1 4 5
0 1 1 4 0 1 + 3a 1 a c 3a
2 3
1 3 1 3
⇠ 40 1 1 4 5.
0 0 2 + 2a c + 4 + 9a
 3

Therefore, if 2 + 2a 6= 0, we will get a leading one in every column, so a

unique solution. This is a 6= 1.
If 2 + 2a = 0, that is, if a = 1, then the bottom row of the coefficient
matrix is all zeros. The bottom entry of the augmented column will be
c + 4 + 9( 1) = c 5.
So: if c = 5 we have infinitely many solutions (because we have a consistent
system and only two leading variables); whereas if c 6= 5 then the system is
inconsistent – no solution — because the last row represents an impossible
equation.
 4

Question 4: Find the determinant of each of the following matrices. Then

use this to decide which matrices are invertible.
2 3
1 2 0
(a) A = 43 4 15
1 1 2

3 4
(b) B =
1 8
2 3
3 4 5
(c) C = 41 2 35
2 2 8

Solution: det(A) = 19, det(B) = 20, det(C) = 0. A matrix is invertible if

and only if its determinant is nonzero; therefore A and B are invertible but
C is not.

a 4
Question 5: Consider A = .
9 6

(a) For what value(s) of a is A invertible? Justify your answer.

(b) For what values(s) of a does the linear system A~x = ~0 have a unique
solution? Justify your answer.

(c) In case that A is invertible, give a formula for its inverse.

(d) Verify that the matrix you produced in (c) is correct, by multiplying it
with A and showing you get the correct answer.

3
(e) Solve the linear system A~x = using the inverse you computed in (c).
4

3
(f) What is the general solution of A~x = when a is not as in part (a)?
4

Solution: (a) A is invertible only if det(A) 6= 0. We have det(A) = 6a 36,

which is nonzero whenever a 6= 6.
(b) Since A is square, the system has a unique solution if and only if A is
invertible. So same answer: a 6= 6.
 5

(c) 
1 1 6 4
A =
6a 36 9 a
(d)
   
1 1 6 4 a 4 1 6a 36 0 1 0
A A= = =
6a 36 9 a 9 6 6a 36 0 6a 36 0 1
(e) We have
   
1 1 3 1 6 4 3 1 2
~x = I~x = A A~x = A = =
4 6a 36 9 a 4 6a 36 4a 27
(f) When a = 6, the corresponding augmented matrix for this linear system
is   2 1
6 4 3 1 3 2
⇠ 1
9 6 4 0 0 2
so this system is inconsistent; there is no solution.

Question 6: Find all eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the following matrices.

Present your work clearly and put a box around each answer. Make sure you
indicate which eigenvalue goes with which eigenvectors.

0 2
(a) A =
2 0

22 100
(b) B =
5 23
2
Solution: (a) det(A I) = + 4 so the eigenvalues are ±2i. For = 2i:
 
2i 2 0 1 i 0
⇠
2 2i 0 0 0 0
giving ( i, 1) as one eigenvector, so all eigenvectors are ( ti, t) with t 6= 0
For = 2i we get (i, 1) as an eigenvector, so all eigenvectors are (ti, t) with
t 6= 0. (In fact, t can be any nonzero complex number.)
(b) det(B I) = 2 6 = ( 3)( + 2), so the eigenvalues are 3
and 2. For = 3 the eigenvectors are (4t, t) with t 6= 0; for = 2 the
eigenvectors are (5t, t) with t 6= 0.

7 15
Question 7: Let A = . Which of the following values of are
6 12
eigenvalues of A? Justify your answer.
 6

(a) 0 (e) 1
(b) 2
(f) 7
(c) 2
(d) 3 (g) 12

Solution: We find det(A I) = 2 5 + 6 = ( 2)( 3), so the

eigenvalues are 2 and 3, because these are the only numbers for which A I
is not invertible.

1 4
Question 8: Consider the matrix A = , whose eigenvalues are
2 5
3 ± 2i. Find an eigenvector associated to each of these eigenvalues. Then,
verify that each of your answers ~x is correct by computing A~x and showing
it has the correct relationship to ~x. 
1 i
Solution: For 3 + 2i we get (for example) ~v = ; for 3 2i we
 1
1+i
get (for example) ~v = . We need to show that A~v = ~v in each
1
case. We calculate
   
1 4 1+i 1 i+4 5 i
= =
2 5 1 2 2i 5 3 2i

and that
  
1+i 3 3i + 2i 2i2 5 i
( 3 2i) = =
1 3 2i 3 2i

as required. (Similarly for the other).

(Note that this answer was totally incorrect in the first version of these
solutions, with tons of typos.)

Question 9: Consider the following system of linear di↵erential equations.

x0 = 13x 30y
y 0 = 5x + 12y

(a) Give the matrix A such that this system can be expressed in the form
~x0 = A~x.
 7

(b) Find the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of A.

(c) Write down the general solution to the system of di↵erential equations.

(d) Identify all equilibria of this system and determine their stability. Justify
your answer.

(e) Sketch the solutions which arise from the eigenvectors in the phase plane
as the curves (x(t), y(t)). Don’t forget the arrows to indicate the direction
in which we travel along the curve as t increases.

(f) Suppose that initially, we have x(0) = 1 and y(0) = 0. What is the
corresponding particular solution?

13 30
Solution: (a) A = .
5 12
(b) 3, associated to ( 3t, t) all t 6= 0; and 2, associated to ( 2t, t) for all
t 6= 0.  
3 2
(c) ~x(t) = c1 e 3t
+ c2 e 2t
for any c1 , c2 2 R.
1 1
(d) Since A is invertible, only equilibrium is (0, 0). Since A has a positive
eigenvalue 2 > 0, this equilibrium is unstable.
(e) (Insert picture here): draw the lines with direction vectors ( 3, 1) and
( 2, 1). They intersect at (0, 0), which is the equilibrium solution. This
leaves 4 half-lines. The ones in direction ( 3, 1) are solutions which tend
towards the origin, since e 3t ! 0 as t ! 1; the ones in direction ( 2, 1)
are solutions which tend away from the origin, since e2t ! 1 as t ! 1.
3c1 2c2 1
(f) At t = 0 the solution formula gives ; set this equal to .
c1 + c2 0
Solve:  
3 2 1 1 0 1
⇠
1 1 0 0 1 1
so c1 = 1 and c2 = 1, and the solution is
 
3t 3 2t 2
~x(t) = e +e
1 1

Question 10: Newton’s Law of cooling states that the change in tempera-
ture T of an object as a function of time t depends on the di↵erence between
 8

its temperature and that of its environment A. In a closed room, the ambi-
ent temperature of the room can also change. In a particular example, this
leads to the system of di↵erential equations (where A and T are measured in
degrees Celcius, and t in hours):

T 0 = 5(A T )
A0 = T A.

Suppose that initially we have T (0) = 0 and A(0) = 30.


0 T
(a) Write down this system in the form ~x = B~x where ~x = .
A

(b) Find all eigenvalues and eigenvectors of B.

(c) Write down the general solution of this system of di↵erential equations.

(d) Identify all equilibria.

(e) Solve for the particular solution corresponding to the given initial values.

(f) What will be the temperature in the room after 1 hour?

(g) To what common temperature will the room and the object converge?

5 5
Solution: (a) B =
1 1
(b) 0 is an eigenvalue with eigenvectors (r, r) for all r 6= 0. 6 is the other
eigenvalue with eigenvectors
  ( 5r, r) for all r 6= 0
5 1
(c) ~x(t) = c1 e 6t + c2 .
1 1
(d) All points of the form (c, c) are equilibria.
(e) c1 = 5, c2 = 25.
(f) A(1) = 5e 6 + 25
(g) limt!1 T (t) = 25

Question 11: Consider the following system of linear di↵erential equations.

x0 = 8x + 15y
y0 = 3x + 4y
 9

(a) Give the matrix A such that this system can be expressed in the form
~x0 = A~x.

(b) Find the (complex) eigenvalues of A and at least one eigenvector.

(c) Using the definition of eigenvalues and eigenvectors, explicitly verify that
your eigenvector in (b) is correct, showing the details of your calculations
with complex numbers.

(d) Write down the general (real) solution to the system of di↵erential equa-
tions.

(e) Identify all equilibria of this system and determine their stability. Justify
your answer.

(f) Suppose that initially, we have x(0) = 1 and y(0) = 5. What is the
corresponding particular solution?

8 15
Solution: (a) A =
3 4 
2 i
(b) eigenvalues 2 ± 3i. For = 2 + 3i an eigenvector is ~v = .
1
(c) We need to verify that A~v = ~v . We have
   
8 15 2 i 16 + 8i + 15 1 + 8i
A~v = = =
3 4 1 6 + 3i + 4 2 + 3i

and
   
2 i ( 2 + 3i)(2 i) 4 + 2i + 6i 3i2 1 + 8i
~v = ( 2+3i) = = =
1 2 + 3i 2 + 3i 2 + 3i

so they are equal; answer verified.

(d) We expand the complex solution
 
( 2+3i)t 2 i 2t 2 i
e = e (cos(3t) + i sin(3t))
1 1

2 cos(3t) + sin(3t) + i( cos(3t) + 2 sin(3t))
= e 2t
cos(3t) + i sin(3t)
 10

so the real general solution is

 
2t 2 cos(3t) + sin(3t) 2t cos(3t) + 2 sin(3t)
~x(t) = c1 e + c2 e
cos(3t) sin(3t)
for any c1 , c2 2 R.
(e) Since det(A) 6= 0, the only solution to A~x = ~0 is ~x = ~0; thus there is only
one equilibrium, (0, 0). It is stable because the real parts of the eigenvalues
2 ± 3i is 2, which is lessthan 0. 
2 1
(f) We note that ~x(0) = c1 + c2 ; solution is c1 = 5, c2 = 9.
1 0

1
Question 12: Consider the function f (x, y) = p .
x + y2
2 1
(a) Determine the domain of the function and sketch it in the xy-plane.
(b) Determine the range of the function.
p
(c) Sketch the level curves f (x, y) = k for k = 1/3 and k = 1/4 .
Label your coordinate system and clearly indicate to which curve each k
corresponds.
(d) Compute both partial derivatives of f . Then evaluate them at the point
(x, y) = (0, 2).
Solution: (a) Df = {(x, y) 2 R2 | x2 + y 2 > 1}. This is the exterior of the
unit circle (centered at the origin), not including the circle itself.
(b) The p denominator can take any positive value. Thus Rf = (0, 1).
(c) k = 1/3 gives x2 + y 2 = 4 which is a circle of radius 2 centered
p at the
2 2
origin. k = 1/4 gives x + y = 17 which is a circle of radius 17 centered
at the origin.
x
(d) fx (x, y) = 2 2
(x + y 1)3/2
y
fx (x, y) = 2 2
(x + y 1)3/2
2
fx (0, 2) = 0; fy (0, 2) = p27 .

Question 13: Let

1
f (x, y) = p
x 2 9y 2
be function of two real variables. The domain D of f is
 11

A {(x, y) : x 3y 6= 0}
B {(x, y) : |x| > |3y|}
C {(x, y) : |x| |3y|}
D {(x, y) : x 3y 6= 0, x + 3y 6= 0}
E {(x, y) : x 3y 0, x + 3y 0}
Solution: We need x2 9y 2 > 0 since we must take its square rootpand since
we must divide by this square root. So we want x2 > 9y 2 . Since a2 = |a|,
the answer is B. Answer E is false since, for example, it is missing the points
like ( 10, 0).
1
Question 14: Consider f (x, y) = .
ln(xy)
(a) Find the domain of f and draw it in the plane. Indicate clearly what is
included and what is excluded. Hint: there are two things to consider.
(b) Find the range of f .
(c) Sketch two level curves of f , for z = 1, 1. Identify each part of each
curve by its altitude (z-value).
(d) Compute fx and fy .
(e) Evaluate fx (e, 1) and fy (e, 1).
Solution: (a) We need xy > 0 to define ln(xy); this means the points must
be on the interior of the first or third quadrants. We also need ln(xy) 6= 0 so
xy 6= 1; this is the curve y = 1/x. So the domain consists of all points in the
1st and 3rd quadrants, not including the axes, and not including any point
on the curve y = 1/x (which has a piece in each of these quadrants).
(b) Rf = ( 1, 0) [ (0, 1) (all real numbers except 0)
(c) f (x, y) = 1: y = e 1 /x; f (x, y) = 1: y = e/x. These are just the
curves like 1/x, but scaled by e 1 < 1 and e > 1, respectively; so the former
lies between the axes and 1/x in both quadrants, and the latter outside the
curves 1/x. (Insert graph here)
1 1
(d) fx (x, y) = x(ln(xy)) 2 ; fy (x, y) = y(ln(xy))2
.
1
(e) fx (e, 1) = e ; fy (e, 1) = 1.