mat223 tutorial problem list: solution sketches (#1-8)
1. True or False: if there is a row of zeros in the reduced row echelon form of an augmented
matrix, then the system of linear equations it represents must have infinitely many solutions.
If true, provide a justification. If false, provide a counterexample and justify why this is a
counterexample.
• False
1 0 0
• Counterexample: 0 0 1
0 0 0
2. What is the maximum number of pivots that an m × n matrix could have? Explain your
answer.
• Answer: m
• At most one pivot in every row.
3. List all possible reduced row echelon forms of a 3 x 4 matrix with a pivot in exactly two rows.
Use ‘∗’ to denote entries which can be equal to any real number. Make sure to justify how
you know you’ve checked all possible cases.
1 0 ∗ ∗ 1 ∗ 0 ∗ 1 ∗ ∗ 0
0 1 ∗ ∗ , 0
0 1 ∗ , 0
0 0 1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 1 0 ∗ 0 1 ∗ 0 0 0 1 0
0 0 1 ∗ , 0
0 0 1 , 0
0 0 1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4. Show that for any vectors ⃗u and ⃗v in Rn , ⃗v is in Span(⃗u, ⃗u − ⃗v ).
• ⃗v = ⃗u − (⃗u − ⃗v )
5. True or False: For vectors ⃗u and ⃗v in R2 , if Span(⃗u, ⃗v ) = R2 then Span(⃗u, ⃗u + ⃗v ) = R2 .
If true, provide a justification. If false, provide a counterexample and justify why this is a
counterexample.
• True
• ⃗v = ⃗u + ⃗v − ⃗u ⇒ ⃗u, ⃗v ∈ Span(⃗u, ⃗u + ⃗v ) ⇒ Span(⃗u, ⃗v ) ⊆ Span(⃗u, ⃗u + ⃗v ), since spans are
vector spaces
• ⃗u, ⃗u + ⃗v ∈ Span(⃗u, ⃗v ) ⇒ Span(⃗u, ⃗u + ⃗v ) ⊆ Span(⃗u, ⃗v ), since spans are vector spaces
⃗ in R3 , if Span(⃗u, ⃗v , w)
6. True or False: For vectors ⃗u, ⃗v , w ⃗ = R3 then
⃗ = R3 .
Span(⃗u + ⃗v , ⃗v + w)
If true, provide a justification. If false, provide a counterexample and justify why this is a
counterexample.
1
• False
1 0 0
• Counterexample: ⃗u = 0 , ⃗v = 1 , w
⃗ = 0
0 0 1
7. True or False: if m > n, then any set of vectors ⃗v1 , . . . , ⃗vm in Rn are linearly dependent.
If true, provide a justification. If false, provide a counterexample and justify why this is a
counterexample.
• True
• ⃗v1 · · · ⃗vm is n × m
• m > n means more columns than rows
• At most one pivot in each row, so at most n pivots
• So there’s a column in rref of ⃗v1 · · · ⃗vm without a pivot
8. True or False: If ⃗v1 , ⃗v2 , ⃗v3 , ⃗v4 are linearly dependent vectors in Rn , then ⃗v1 , ⃗v2 , ⃗v3 are also
linearly dependent. If true, provide a justification. If false, provide a counterexample and
justify why this is a counterexample.
• False
1 0 0 1
• Counterexample: ⃗v1 = 0 , ⃗v2 = 1 , ⃗v3 = 0 ⃗v4 = 1
0 0 1 1
