Maths-2 | Live Session | Week-3

Karthik Thiagarajan

1. 2
2. 3
3. 4
4. 5
5. 6
6. 7
7. 8
8. 10
9. 12
10. 13
11. 14
12. 16
13. 17
14. 18
15. 19
1.
Express (3, 4) as a linear combination of (1, 2) and (1, 3).

Let a b be two scalars. Then:

,

(3, 4) = a (1, 2) + b (1, 3)

a b a b -
a b
+ = 3
⟹ = 5, = 2
2 +3 = 4

Verify
-
5(1, 2) + ( 2)(1, 3) = (5 - 2, 10 - 6) = (3, 4)
2.
Express (1, 2, - 1) as a linear combination of (1, 0, 1) and (1, - 1, 2)

Let a b be scalars. Then:

,

- a
(1, 2, 1) = (1, 0, 1) + b -
(1, 1, 2)

a b
-b a b -
+ = 1

a b -
= 2 ⟹ = 3, = 2

+2 = 1

Verify

3(1, 0, 1) - 2(1, - 1, 2) = (1, 2, - 1)

3.
S u v w is linearly dependent then what can you say about
If
P uvwx?
= { , , }

= { , , , }

Step-1:

Since S is linearly dependent there are scalars c c c 1

, 2
, 3
such that:

cu cv cw 1 + 2 + 3 = 0

with at least one of c c c . 1, 2, 3 ≠ 0

Step-2:

Retain the first three scalars from the previous step.

cu cv cw cx
1
+ 2
+ 3
+ 4
= 0

Set c 4
= 0. { uvwx
, , , } is therefore linearly dependent.

Generalization:
• If S
is a linearly dependent set of vectors and if ⊂ , then S P P is
also linearly dependent.
• Adding elements to a linearly dependent set of vectors doesn't
disturb its linear dependence.
4.
If u v w is linearly independent, what can you say about the sets
u v , v w and u w ?
{ , , }

{ , } { , } { , }

All three sets are linearly independent. Let us show this with one example:

u v : If u v u v w is also linearly
is linearly dependent, then
dependent, which contradicts the fact that u v w is linearly
{ , } { , } { , , }

independent. Therefore, we conclude that u v is linearly independent.

{ , , }

{ , }

Generalization:
• Any subset P
of a linearly independent set is also linearly S
independent.
• Deleting elements from a linearly independent set doesn't affects its
linear independence.
5.
Let S be a set of vectors. If S what can be said about the linear
S?
0 ∈

dependence or independence of

To keep things simple let S uvw . = { , , , 0}

cu cv cw c 1 + 2 + 3 + 40 = 0

Set c 1 c c c . Therefore S is linearly dependent.

= 2 = 3 = 0, 4 = 1

The inference is this: every set that contains the zero element is
linearly dependent.
6.
If S uvw
= { , , } is linearly dependent then can every vector in S be
written as a linear combination of the other two?

If S
is linearly dependent, then all we can say is that there is some
vector which can be written as a linear combination of the other vectors.
We can't conclude that every vector in the set has to be a linear
combination of the rest of the vectors. For example:

S = {(1, 0), (0, 1), (0, 0)}

There are no scalars a b for which:

,

(1, 0) =a (0, 1) + b (0, 0)

However, S is linearly dependent since (0, 0) ∈ S.

7.
Suppose S v is a linearly dependent set in R . Which 3

of the following values can v take?

= {(2, 3, 0), (0, 1, 0), }

• (2, 3, 1)

• (1, 2, 0)

• (1, 3, 0)

•
e
(0, 1, 1)

• (𝜋, , 0)

We will take up the first two vectors:

v = (2, 3, 1)

Let us assume that we have scalars a b c such that:

, ,

a (2, 3, 0) + b (0, 1, 0) + c (2, 3, 1) = (0, 0, 0)

a c
a b c a b c
2 +2 = 0

c
3 + +3 = 0 ⟹ = = = 0

= 0

We see that a b c from which it follows that S is linearly

v.
= = = 0

independent for this particular choice of

v = (1, 2, 0)

Let us assume that we have scalars a b c such that:

, ,

a (2, 3, 0) + b (0, 1, 0) + c (1, 2, 0) = (0, 0, 0)

a c
a b c
2 + = 0

3 + +2 = 0

Let us solve this using Gaussian elimination:

2 0 1 1 0 0.5 1 0 0.5
→ →

1
3 1 2 3 1 2 1 1/3 2/3

1
1 0 0.5 0 0.5
→
0 1/3 1/6 0 0.5

a b are dependent variables with c being an independent variables. We get:

,

c t b -t a -t = , =
2
, =
2

We can now express the linear combination as:

-t (2, 3, 0) +
-t (0, 1, 0) + t (1, 2, 0) = (0, 0, 0)
2 2

Setting t = 1 we see that the linear combination is zero with at least one
non-zero scalar in the mix.

- (2, 3, 0) - (0, 1, 0) + 2(1, 2, 0) = (0, 0, 0)

Hence S is linearly dependent for this particular choice of v.

8.
Comment on the linear independence of the set S = {(1, 1, 0), (0, 1, 1), (1, 0, 1)}.

CAUTION: IGNORE METHOD-1 FOR NOW. STICK TO METHOD-2 AS WAS COVERED IN THE
LECTURES.
Method-1:
• Add all vectors as rows of a matrix A.
• Find the RREF of A
• If RREF of A:
– has a zero row, then S is linearly dependent.
– doesn't have a zero row, then S is linearly independent

1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0

- - -
0 1 1 → 0 1 1 → 0 0 2 → 0 0 1

1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1

1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0

0 0 1 → 0 0 1 → 0 1 0

0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

Since all rows are non-zero, the three vectors are linearly independent.

Why does this method work?

Let S r = { 1, ⋯ , rn } be a set of n vectors.

Operation-1:
Swapping rows doesn't affect the linear (in)dependence of S. Swapping two
rows just changes the order in which the vectors appear in S.

Operation-2:
Scaling a row by a non-zero constant doesn't affect the linear
(in)dependence of S
Let Sb r
= { 1, ⋯ , rn
} be the set before this operation. We can choose to

perform the scaling on any row. Without loss of generality, let us assume
that we scale the first row. The set after scaling is Sa cr r rn
c Sa is
= { 1, 2, ⋯ , }

with ≠ 0. It is now left to the reader as an exercise to show that

linearly (in)dependent if and only if Sb is linearly (in)dependent.
Operation-3:
Adding a multiple of one row to another row doesn't affect the linear
dependence (independence) of S.
Let Sb r rn . Without loss of generality let
Sa r r r rn . It is now left to the reader as an exercise to
= { 1, ⋯ , }

show that S a is linearly (in)dependent if and only if S b is linearly

= { 1 + 2, 2, ⋯ , }

(in)dependent.
Method-2:
S
A.
= {(1, 1, 0), (0, 1, 1), (1, 0, 1)}

• Make each vector the column of a matrix

• Solve the homogeneous system of equations Ax where x is a vector
of size S .
= 0

| |

• If the system has

– a unique solution then S is linearly independent.
– infinitely many solutions then S is linearly dependent.

Find scalars x y z such that:

, ,

x y z
1 0 1 0

1 + 1 + 0 = 0

0 1 1 0

This corresponds to the system:

x z
x y
+ = 0

y z
+ = 0

+ = 0

In matrix form:

Ax = 0

Gausian elimination results in:

- - -
1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1

1 1 0 → 0 1 1 → 0 1 1 → 0 1 1

0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 1

1
1
0 0

1
0 0

0 0

All three variables are dependent. We end up with a unique (trivial)

solution:

x y z
= = = 0

Therefore S is linearly independent.

9.
Comment on the linear independence of the set {(1, 2), ( - 1, 2), (3, 1), ( - 3, 1)}.

Let us find scalars x y z w such that:

, , ,

x y- z 1

2
+
1

2
+
3

1
+ w- 1
3
=
0

Gaussian elimination gives:

- - - -
-
1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3
→ →
2 2 1 1 0 2 2.5 3.5

- - -
- -
1 1 3 3 1 0 2.75 1.25
→
0 1 1.25 1.75 0 1 1.25 1.75

4 -
4-
0 7 5

0 5 7

NOTE: The above matrix is not in RREF. But dividing the rows by 4 will
bring it to RREF. This is not done here for arithmetical convenience.

• x y are dependent variables

• z w are independent variables
,

z t w t y
= 1, = 2, =
1

4
(5 t-t x
2 7 1 ), =
1

4
(5 t-t
2 7 1)

Clearly there are infinitely many solutions. The set is linearly dependent.

4
t-t
(5 2 7 1
)
1

2
+
1

4
t-t -
(5 2 7 1
)
1

2
+ t 1
3

1
+ t -
2
1
3
=
0

0
10.
Express as a linear combination of the elements in the set
- -
(0, 0)

{(1, 2), ( 1, 2), (3, 1), ( 3, 1)}.

Homework
11.
Find all values of x for which the set of vectors {(1, 2, 3), (4, 5, 6), (7, 8, x )}

is linearly dependent in R . 3

CAUTION: IGNORE METHOD-1 FOR NOW. STICK TO METHOD-2 AS WAS COVERED IN THE
LECTURES.
Method-1

1 2 3 1 2 3

x x
4 5 6 → 1 5/4 3/2

7 8 1 8/7 /7

- - - -
1 2 3 1 2 3

x - x-
0 3/4 3/2 → 0 3/4 3/2

1 8/7 /7 0 6/7 ( 21) / 7

1 2 3 - 1 0 1

- x- - x-
0 1 2 → 0 1 2

0 6/7 ( 21) / 7 0 6/7 ( 21) / 7

1 0- 1- 1 0 1

-x -x
0 1 2 0 1 2

0 1 (21 )/6 0 0 (9 )/6

If x = 9 then the vectors are linearly dependent. If x ≠ 9:

1 0 0

0 1 0

0 0 1
Method-2

- -
1 4 7 1 4 7 1 4 7

→ →

x x - x-
2 5 8 1 5/2 4 0 3/2 3

3 6 1 2 /3 0 2 ( 21) / 3

1 4 7 1 4 7

-x -x
0 1 2 → 0 1 2

0 1 (21 )/6 0 0 (9 )/6

1 -
1
0 1

-x
0 2

0 0 (9 )/6

x = 9 for linearly dependent vectors.

12.
For c Z, consider the set of vectors c c c c c c), (2 , 3 , 4 )}. Find
the value of c such that this set is
∈ {(1, , 0), ( , 0,

• linearly dependent
• linearly independent

HOMEWORK
13.
Can a set of 5 vectors in R 4
be linearly independent?

Adding the 5 vectors as columns of a matrix results in a 4×5 matrix. The

leading entries govern the number of dependent variables. In a 4×5

matrix, you can have a maximum of 4 leading entries. This means that you
can have at most 4 dependent variables. This means that there will be at
least independent variable. The system will have infinitely many
S is linearly dependent.
1

solutions. Then the set

1
1
1
1
If there are n vectors in R m with n m then the set is linearly
>

dependent.
14.
Can a set of 4 vectors in R 5
be linearly independent?

Example of a linearly independent set:

1 0 0 0

0 1 0 0

0 , 0 , 1 , 0

0 0 0 1

0 0 0 0

Some examples of a linearly dependent set:

1 0 0 0

0 1 0 0

0 , 0 , 1 , 0

0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0

1 2 0 0

0 0 0 0

0 , 0 , 1 , 0

0 0 0 1

0 0 0 0

1 0 0 1

0 1 0 1

0 , 0 , 1 , 1

0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0
15.
a b c a b c a b c
Let {( 1 , 1 , 1 ), ( 2 , 2 , 2 ), ( 3 , 3 , 3 )} be a set of linearly dependent
vectors. Comment on the nature of solutions of the following system of
equations:

ax by cz
ax by cz
1 + 1 + 1 = 1

+ + = 2

ax by cz
2 2 2

3
+ 3
+ 3
= 3

HOMEWORK
Images used in the slides:

2
y x =

1
u
-2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

-1

2
v
1
u
-2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

-1

v 2

1
u
-2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

-1
 3
w
2

v
1

-2 -1 0
u 1 2 3 4

-1