Linear Maps

Vincenzo Antonelli
vincenzo.antonelli@polito.it

Exercise 1. Given f : R3 → R3 such that its associated matrix Af with respect to the
canonical basis is  
a 2 1
Af =  1 a 1 con a ∈ R.
0 1 2
Find a basis of Ker f and Im f depending on a ∈ R.
Solution. In order to find the Kernel we have to solve the system Af · X = 0 with X ∈ R3 :

ax + 2y + z = 0
x + ay + z = 0
y + 2z = 0


We reduce the matrix Af |0. We have

   
a 2 1 0 1 a 1 0
 1 a 1 0  →  0 1 2 0  R3 → R3 − aR1
0 1 2 0 a 2 1 0
   
1 a 1 0 1 a 1 0
 0 1 2 0  R3 → R3 + (a2 − 2)R2  0 1 2 0 
0 2 − a2 1 − a 0 0 0 ∗ 0
with ∗ = 2a2 − a − 3. Now 2a2 − a − 3 = 0 if and only if a = −1 or a = 32 .
• a = −1
In this case dim Ker f = 1 and if we solve the system we get Ker f = L{(−3, −2, 1)}.
Since
dim R3 = dim(Ker f ) + dim(Im f )
then dim Im f = 2 thus it is enough to choose 2 LI columns if the matrix Af . For
example
BIm f = {(−1, 1, 0), (2, −1, 1)}.

• a= 3
2
In this case we have dim(Ker f ) = 1 and solving the system we obtain Ker f =
L{(2, −2, 1)}. Also in this case dim(Im f ) = 2 and for example
3 3
BIm f = {( , 1, 0), (2, , 1)}.
2 2

• a 6= −1 e a 6= 3
2
In this case f is an isomorphism, indeed Ker f = {~0} and Im f = R3 .

1
Exercise 2. Consider the linear map
Lk : R2,2 −→ R3
 
  a + b + kc
a b
7→  a − b + d  .
c d
2a + c + d
where k ∈ R is a real parameter. Find a basis of Ker Lk and Im Lk .
Solution. Recall that Ker Lk = {M ∈ R2,2 such that Lk (M ) = 0}. Thus we solve the
linear system 
a + b + ck = 0
a−b+d=0
2a + c + d = 0


We write the matrix M associated to the system and we reduce it

 
1 1 k 0 0
 1 −1 0 1 0 
2 0 1 1 0
 
1 1 k 0 0
R2 → R2 − R1 
0 −2 −k 1 0 
R3 → R3 − 2R1
0 −2 1 − 2k 1 0
 
1 1 k 0 0
R3 → R3 − R2  0 −2 −k 1 0 
0 0 1−k 0 0
Thus we have two cases k:
• k=1
In this case dim(Ker L1 ) = 2 and dim(Im L1 )) = 2. Thus:

 
 a = −t − s
a+b+c=0 b=t

⇒
−2b − c + d = 0 
 c=s
d = 2t + s


So Ker L1 = L{(−1, 0, 1, 1), (−1, 1, 0, 2)}. But the Kernel of a linear map is a vec-
tor subspace of the domain of the map! Recall that we can always construct an
isomorphism  
2,2 φ 4 a b
R → R such that φ = (a, b, c, d)
c d
   
−1 0 −1 1
thus Ker Lk = L , . Now we compute a basis for the image.
1 1 0 2
Notice that Lk is a linear map between a space of dimension 4 to a space of di-
mension
 3,thus ALk ∈ R3,4
 . In particular
 considering in R2,2 the canonical basis
1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
, , , , we have
0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
 
1 1 1 0
AL1 = 1 −1 0 1
2 0 1 1
Thus we have BIm f = {(1, 1, 2), (1, −1, 0)}.

2
 • k 6= 1
In this case Ker Lk has dimension one and Im Lk has dimension three (i.e. Lk is
surjective). Thus we can choose the canonical basis of R3 as a basis of Im Lk . We
compute a basis by solving the system

 a = −t
a + b + kc = 0


b=t

−2b − kc + d = 0 ⇒
c=0
(1 − k)c = 0
 

d = 2t

 
−1 1
i.e. KerLk = L .
0 2
Exercise 3. Consider the linear map

f : R3 → R3

such that f (x, y, z) = (x + 2y − z, x + y − z, x + 2y). Write the matrix associated to f with

respect to the basis B{(1, 0, 2), (1, 1, 0), (2, 0, 1)} of R3 (both in domain and in co-domain).
Solution. Recall that the matrix associated to a linear map is the matrix having as columns
the images of the vector forming a basis of the domain. First of alla we compute the images
under f of the vectors of B. We have:

f (1, 0, 2) = (−1, −1, 1) = ~v1

f (1, 1, 0) = (3, 2, 3) = ~v2
f (2, 0, 1) = (1, 1, 2) = ~v3 .

Now we have to write the vectors ~v1 , ~v2 and ~v3 (which are expressed in the canonical basis
of R3 ) in the new basis B. We write a generical linear combination of the elements of B:
     
1 1 2
a 0 + b 1 + c 0
    
2 0 1
so for each ~vi we need to find the coefficients a, b and c (which will be the coefficients of
~vi in the new basis).
• ~v1 .
We need to solve the system

a = 32
 
a + b + 2c = 1
b = −1 ⇒ b = −1
2a + c = 1 c = − 13
 

so ~v1 = ( 32 , −1, − 13 )B .
• ~v2 .
We need to solve the system

a = 53
 
a + b + 2c = 3
b=2 ⇒ b=2
2a + c = 3 c = − 13
 

so ~v2 = ( 35 , −1, − 13 )B .

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 • ~v3 .
We need to solve the system

a = 43
 
a + b + 2c = 1
b=2 ⇒ b=1
2a + c = 2 c = − 23
 

so ~v3 = ( 34 , 1, − 23 )B .
At this point we can write Af B the matrix associated to f w.r.t. the basis B:
 2 5 4

3 3 3
Af B =  −1 2 1 
− 31 − 13 − 23

Exercise 4. Let ~v1 = (0, 1, 2, 3), ~v2 = (1, 1, 0, 0) and ~v3 = (0, 0, 1, 1) be vectors in R4 .
Find a linear map T : R3 → R4 such that T (~ej ) = ~vj for j = 1, 2, 3 and find a basis of
Kernel and Image.
Solution. Consider the canonical basis of R3 , thus we can write

T (x1 , x2 , x3 ) = T (x1~e1 + x2~e2 + x3~e3 )

where x1 , x2 and x3 belong to R. At this point we use the linearity of T :

T (x1~e1 + x2~e2 + x3~e3 ) = x1 T (~e1 ) + x2 T (~e2 ) + x3 T (~e3 )

= x1 · (0, 1, 2, 3) + x2 · (1, 1, 0, 0) + x3 · (0, 0, 1, 1)
 
x2
 x1 + x2 
=2x1 + x3  .


3x1 + x3

The matrix AT associated to T will be a matrix 4 × 3 whose columns are the images of
the canonical basis of R3 (i.e. ~v1 , ~v2 and ~v3 ), thus:
 
0 1 0
1 1 0
AT =  2 0 1


3 0 1

It’s possible to see that the rank of AT is 3, thus the linear map is injective and Im T =
L{(0, 1, 2, 3), (1, 1, 0, 0), (0, 0, 1, 1)}.
Exercise 5. Consider the linear map f : R4 → R4 given by

f (x, y, z, t) = (x + 2y + z − 2t, x + 2y + z + 2t, x + 2y + z, −t)

Find a basis of Ker f and Im f .

Solution. The matrix associated to f is
 
1 2 1 −2
1 2 1 2
Af =  1

2 1 0
0 0 0 −1

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In order to find the kernel, we solve the linear system Af · X = 0 i.e.


 x + 2y + z − 2t = 0
x + 2y + z + 2t = 0

.

 x + 2y + z = 0
−t = 0


We reduce the matrix Af :

 
1 2 1 −2
1 2 1 2
Af = 
1

2 1 0
0 0 0 −1
 
1 2 1 −2
R2 → R2 − R1  0 0 0 −4
R3 → R3 − R1 0 0 0 2
0 0 0 −1
 
1 2 1 −2
R3 → R3 + 12 R2 
0 0 0 −4
1
R4 → R4 − 4 R2 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
Thus rg Af = 2 and both the Kernel and the Image have dimension two. We compute a
basis of both. For the Kernel:

 
x = −2h − s
x + 2y + z − 2t = 0 y=h

⇒
t=0 
t=0
z=s


So Ker f = L{(−2, 1, 0, 0), (−1, 0, 0, 1)} and BKer f = {(−2, 1, 0, 0), (−1, 0, 0, 1)}. IFor
the Image it is enough to take two LI columns vectors of Af , for example BIm f =
{(1, 1, 1, 0), (−2, 2, 0, −1)}.

Exercise 6. Find the associated matrix, with respect to the canonical basis of R3 , of a
linear map f : R3 → R3 such that a basis of Ker(f ) is given by {~e1 − ~e2 + ~e3 } and a basis
for the image is {(~e1 − ~e2 ), (2~e1 + ~e3 )}.

Solution. We want a linear map such that

Ker f = L{(1, −1, 1)} and Im f = L{(1, −1, 0), (2, 0, 1)}

we can suppose that the associated matrix is given by

 
1 2 a
Af = −1 0 b 
0 1 c

with a , b and c belonging to R. To compute the Kernel we solve


x + 2y + az = 0
−x + bz = 0
y + cz = 0


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Thus  
1 2 a
Af = −1 0 b 
0 1 c
 
1 2 a
R2 → R2 + R1 0 2 a + b
0 1 c
Now we impose that that dim Ker(f ) = 1. Thanks to the Rouchè-Capelli theorem rg Af =
2 and this holds if and only ifa + b = 2c. Suppose a + b = 2c and we compute a basis for
the kernel: 
x + 2y + az = 0
2y + (a + b)z = 0
But we know that Ker f = L{(1, −1, 1)}, thus (1, −1, 1) must be a solution of the system.
Finally  
−1 + a = 0 a = 1
−2 + a + b = 0 ⇒ b = 1
a + b = 2c c=1
 

Thus the linear map we are looking for is f : R3 → R3 defined as

f (x, y, z) = (x + 2y + z, −x + z, y + z).

Exercise 7. Let L : R3 → R3 be the unique linear map such that

L(e1 ) = 2e1 + e2 + 2e3 , L(e2 ) = e1 + e2 − e3 , L(e3 ) = 3e1 + 2e2 + e3 ,

and for all a ∈ R let Sa : R2 → R3 be the unique linear map such that

Sa (1, 2) = 4e1 + 2e2 + 4e3 e Sa (2, −1) = e2 + ae3 .

Find the values of a ∈ R such that Im L = Im Sa and compute the dimension of Im L∩Im Sa
depending on a ∈ R.

Solution. Notice that Im L is generated by the vectors {(2, 1, 2), (1, 1, −1), (3, 2, 1)} but in
general there is no reason why this set should be a basis! (The vectors might not be LI).
While Im Sa is generated by {(4, 2, 4), (0, 1, a)}. Indeed given a basis of R2 , the images of
the elements of this basis form a set of generators of Im Sa (again, there is NO REASON
why this should be a basis, you HAVE to verify the LI). It is easy to see that (1, 2) and
(2, −1) are LI thus they form a basis of R2 . So Sa (1, 2) = (4, 2, 4) and Sa (2, −1) = (0, 1, a)
generate the image of Sa .
Notice that this two vectors are LI for each a ∈ R, thus we have a basis of the image
of Sa .

Remark: In this exercise it is enough to know a set of generators of the image (we
really don’t need a basis). We also don’t need to compute the images of the vectors of
the canonical basis (using the linearity of Sa ). If we were to compute the images of the
vectors of the canonical basis, we are just expressing Im Sa using another basis different
from B = {(4, 2, 4), (0, 1, a)}. Of course there is no problem in using also this strategy.

6
 Thus we write the generators of Im L as rows of a matrix and we reduce it in order to
see if they are LI:    
2 1 2 1 1 −1
1 1 −1 R1 ↔ R2 2 1 2
3 2 1 3 2 1
 
1 1 −1
R2 → R2 − 2R1 
0 −1 4
R3 → R3 − 3R1
0 −1 4
Thus dim(Im L) = 2 and we can chose this set of vectors as a basis B = {(1, 1, −1), (2, 1, 2)}
(you can also pick B 0 = {(1, 1, −1), (0, −1, 4)}).
Notice that since Im L and Im Sa have both dimension two, Im L and Im Sa coincide
if Im L + Im Sa has dimension 2. Thus we put all the vectors generating these two spaces
as the rows of a matrix and we reduce it:
 
1 1 −1
2 1 2 
 
4 2 4 
0 1 a
since 2R2 = R3 we can substitute R3 → R3 − 2R2 and move R3 to the bottom:
 
1 1 −1
2 1 2 
 
0 1 a 
0 0 0
 
1 1 −1
0 −1 4
R2 → R2 − 2R1 0 1

a
0 0 0
Since the matrix has rank 2, we have dim(Im L + Im Sa ) = 2 if and only if a = −4. In this
particular case we have Im L = Im Sa and dim(Im L ∩ Im Sa ) = 2.
If a 6= −4 then dim(Im L + Im Sa ) = 3 and using Grassmann formula we have
dim(Im L ∩ Im Sa ) = 1.
Exercise 8. Let λ ∈ R be a real parameter and let fλ : R3 → R3 be the map (not
necessarily linear) given by
 
2x1 + x3
fλ (x1 , x2 , x3 ) = 3x1 + x2 + λx22 + x3  .
5x1 + x2 + 2x3
Find the values of λ ∈ R such that the map fλ is actually a linear map and describe
Ker(fλ ) and Im(fλ ).
~ in R3 we have
Solution. We impose that given two vectors ~v and w
fλ (a~v + bw)
~ = afλ (~v ) + bfλ (w)
~
with a and b in R,thus the map is a linear map if and only if λ = 0. Now we write the
matrix associated to f = f0  
2 0 1
Af = 3 1
 1
5 1 2

7
and we solve the homogeneous system Af · X = 0 iin order to compute the kernel. We
reduce the matrix Af
   
2 0 1 3 2 0 1
R → R2 − 2 R1 
3 1 1 2 0 1 − 21 
R3 → R3 − 52 R1
5 1 2 0 1 − 12
Thus rg Af = 2. Now we solve the system associated to the reduced matrix:

 x = t
2x + z = 0
⇒ y = −t
y − 12 z = 0
z = −2t


So a basis of the kernel is given by BKer f = {(1, −1, −2)}. The image has dimension 2
and we can use any two columns of Af to obtain a basis for the image.
Exercise 9. In all the following cases, establish if it is possible to find linear maps
satisfying the conditions. In case there is more than one, find two distinct of them:
(i) L : R4 → R3 surjective such that Ker L = L{(1, 1, 1, 0)}.
(ii) L : R2 → R2 such that Ker L = L{(1, 1)}.
(iii) L : R3 → R3 injective and such that Im L = L{(2, 0, 1), (−1, 0, 0)}.
Solution. (i) We need to check if there exists a linear map L : R4 → R3 which is
surjective and such that Ker L = L{(1, 1, 1, 0)}. How can we check that Ker L =
L{(1, 1, 1, 0)}? We need to impose that


L(a(1, 1, 1, 0)) = L (a, a, a, 0) = 0 per ogni a ∈ R

In other words

aL(~e1 + ~e2 + ~e3 ) = 0 ⇒ L(~e1 ) + L(~e2 ) + L(~e3 ) = 0

and here we used the linearity of L. At this point, for example, it is enough to
take L(~e1 ) = (1, 1, 0), L(~e2 ) = (0, −1, 0) and L(~e3 ) = (0, −1, 0) and then choose
L(e4 ) independent from all the others (because we want that L is surjective!) thus
L(e4 ) = (0, 0, 1). i.e. we take L as the linear map associated to the matrix
 
1 0 −1 0
A = 1 −1 0 0 .
0 0 0 1
Thus it is enough to take 3 vectors L(~ei ) staisfying L(~e1 ) + L(~e2 ) + L(~e3 ) = 0 and
then take L(~e4 ) independent from the others.
(ii) We proceed as the previous point. If Ker L = L{(1, 1)} then

L(1, 1) = L(~e1 + ~e2 ) = L(~e1 ) + L(~e2 ) = 0.

Let L(~e1 ) = (a, b) with a, b ∈ R and (a, b) 6= (0, 0). It is enough to choose L(~e2 ) =
(−a, −b). Thus we can consider L as the map associated to the matrix
 
a −a
A=
b −b
a, b ∈ R with (a, b) 6= (0, 0).

8
(iii) It’s not possible, because if the map is injective then dim Ker L = 0, but then the
image must have dimension three (in this case L is an endomorphism and we know
that an endomorphism is injective if and only if is surjective).

Exercise 10. Consider the linear map f : R2,2 → R2,2 defined by

x y   x + 2y y+z−t

f = .
z t x − y + t 2x + 2y + z

Find a basis of Ker(f ) and Im(f ).

Solution. Using the usual canonical isomoprhism R2,2 → R4 we can consider f as f : R4 →

R4 such that
f (x, y, z, t) = (x + 2y, y + z − t, x − y + t, 2x + 2y + z)
The matrix associated to f is given by
 
1 2 0 0
0 1 1 −1
Af = 
1 −1 0 1  .


2 2 1 0

Using the same strategy as the previous exercises, we get Ker f = L{(−2, 1, 2, 3)} and
Im f = L{(1, 0, 1, 2), (2, 1, −1, 2), (0, 1, 0, 1)}. Now we translate the solutions as matrices:
       
−2 1 1 0 2 1 0 1
BKer f = e BIm f = , , .
2 3 1 2 −1 2 0 1

Exercise 11. Let

S : R3 [t] → R3 [t]
be the linear map defined by

S(p)[t] = p(t + 1) + p(t − 1).

(a) Verify that S is a linear map and find a basis of Ker(S) and Im(S).

(b) Let W = {p ∈ R3 [t] tale che S(p) = 2p}. Show that W is a subspace of R3 [t],
compute its dimension and find a basis of W .

Remark: Given a polynomial R3 [t], in general we can write it as p(t) = a0 +a1 t+a2 t2 +a3 t3 .
Then the polynomial p(t + 1) is given by p(t + 1) = a0 + a1 (t + 1) + a2 (t + 1)2 + a3 (t + 1)3 .

Solution. We verify that given p, q ∈ R3 [t] and k ∈ R, we have S(p+q)[t] = S(p)[t]+S(q)[t]

and S(kp)[t] = kS(p)[t]. Thus

S(p+q)[t] = (p+q)(t+1)+(p+q)(t−1) = p(t+1)+q(t+1)+p(t−1)+q(t−1) = S(p)[t]+S(q)[t]

S(kp)[t]) = kp(t + 1) + kp(t − 1) = kS(p)[t]

so S is linear. Given p ∈ R3 [t] as p(t) = a0 + a1 t + a2 t2 + a3 t3 we write explicitly S(p)[t]

S(p)[t] = a0 + a1 (t + 1) + a2 (t + 1)2 + a3 (t + 1)3 + a0 + a1 (t − 1) + a2 (t − 1)2 + a3 (t − 1)3

= 2a0 + 2a1 t + 2a2 t2 + 2a2 + 2a3 t3 + 6a3 t
= 2(a0 + a2 ) + 2t(a1 + 3a3 ) + 2a2 t2 + 2a3 t3 .

9
Thusif we want to compute the kernel we impose S(p)[t] = 0 and we obtain:
 

 a0 + a2 = 0 
 a0 = 0
a1 + 3a3 = 0 a1 = 0
 
⇒
2a = 0 a =0
 2  2

 

2a3 = 0 a3 = 0

so S is injective and since it is an endomorphism is actually an isomorphism.

For the second point notice that

p ∈ W ⇔ S(p) = 2p ⇔ 2(a0 + a2 ) + 2t(a1 + 3a3 ) + 2a2 t2 + 2a3 t3 = 2(a0 + a1 t + a2 t2 + a3 t3 ).

We impose that the coefficients of the same degree should be the same, so
 

 2(a0 + a2 ) = 2a0 
 a0 = α
2(a1 + 3a3 ) = 2a1 a1 = β
 
⇒
2a 2 = 2a 2 a =0
 2

 

2a3 = 2a3 a3 = 0


with α and β in R. Finally we get W = R1 [t] thus it is a vector subspace of dimension

two and a basis is given by BW = {1, t}.

Exercise 12. Show that the map

φ : R3 [x] → R3 [x] definita da φ(p(x)) = xp0 (x) − p(2x + 1)

with p0 (x) first derivative of p(x), is a linear map and find a basis for Ker(φ) and Im(φ).

Solution. To verify the linearity you have can proceed as the previous exercise. The main
point is that the derivative of a sum is the sum of the derivatives. Now we write explicitly
φ(p(x)). Given a polynomial p ∈ R3 [x] it will be given by p(x) = a0 + a1 x + a2 x2 + a3 x3 ,
so
p0 (x) = a1 + 2a2 x + 3a3 x2
and

p(2x + 1) = a0 + a1 (2x + 1) + a2 (2x + 1)2 + a3 (2x + 1)3

= (a0 + a1 + a2 + a3 ) + x(2a1 + 4a2 + 6a3 ) + x2 (4a2 + 12a3 ) + 8a3 x3 .

Thus

φ(p(x)) = −(a0 + a1 + a2 + a3 ) − x(a1 + 4a2 + 6a3 ) − x2 (2a2 + 12a3 ) − 5a3 x3 .

In particular φ(p(x)) = 0 if and only if

 

 a0 + a1 + a2 + a3 = 0 
a0 =0
a1 + 4a2 + 6a3 = 0 a1 =0
 
⇒
2a2 + 12a3 = 0
 a2
 =0
5a3 = 0 a3 =0
 

Thus the only solution is given by the zero polynomial, i.e. φ is injective (and surjective
since it is an endomorphism). In particular BIm φ = {1, t, t2 , t3 }.

10
Exercise 13. Find a basis B of the subspace W ⊂ R4 defined by the equation x1 + x2 −
x3 − x4 = 0. Let T : W → R4 the linear map such that
 
x1 − x2 − x3
x1 + 2x2 + x4 
T (x1 , x2 , x3 , x4 ) =  
2x1 + x3 + x4 
x2 − 2x3
Show that Im T ⊆ W . In this case we can consider TW : W → W as an endomorphism of
W . Find the matrix of TW with respect to the basis B.
Solution. First of all we find a basis of W . Using parametric equations we find that

W = L{(1, 0, 0, 1), (0, 1, 0, 1), (0, 0, 1, −1)}.

Now we know that Im T is generated by the images of ~v1 = (1, 0, 0, 1), ~v2 = (0, 1, 0, 1) and
~v3 = (0, 0, 1, −1), i.e. Im T = L{T (~v1 ), T (~v2 ), T (~v3 )}. Substituting

Im T = L{(1, 2, 3, 0), (−1, 3, 1, 1), (−1, −1, 0, −2)}.

In order to verify that Im T ⊆ W we build a matrix whose rows are given by the generators
of W and Im T , and then I reduce it.
 
1 0 0 1
0 1 0 1
 
0
 0 1 −1 
1 2 3 0
 
−1 3 1 1 
−1 −1 0 −2
 
1 0 0 1
0 1 0 1 
R4 → R4 − R1 0 0 1 −1

R5 → R5 + R1  
0 2 3 −1
R6 → R6 + R1  
0 3 1 2
0 −1 0 −1
 
1 0 0 1
0 1 0 1
R4 → R4 − 2R2  
0 0 1 −1
R5 → R5 − 3R2  
0 0 3 −3
R6 → R6 + R2  
0 0 1 −1
0 0 0 0
 
1 0 0 1
0 1 0 1
 
R4 → R4 − 3R3 
0 0 1 −1

R5 → R5 − R3 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
Thus we showed that W + Im T = W which implies that Im T ⊆ W . In particular we can
consider the linear map T as an endomorphism

T : W → W.

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Since the dimension of W is 3, the matrix associated to T can be seen as a 3 × 3 matrix.
But we need to write it with respect to the basis B = {(1, 0, 0, 1), (0, 1, 0, 1), (0, 0, 1, −1)}.
We write a general linear combination of these vectors W
     
1 0 0
0 1 0
a
0 + b 0 + c  1 
    

1 1 −1

Now we express T (~vi ) in this way. We start with T (~v1 ).

     
1 0 0
0 1 0
T (~v1 ) = a 
0 + b 0 + c  1 
    

1 1 −1

so we need to solve the system 


a=1
b=2


c=3
a+b−c=0


i.e. T (~v1 ) = (1, 2, 3)B . Using the same strategy for the other two vectors, we have
T (~v2 ) = (−1, 3, 1)B and T (~v3 ) = (−1, −1, 0)B thus the matrix associated to T in the basis
B (both in domain and codomain) is
 
1 −1 −1
AT B = 2 3 −1
3 1 0

Exercise 14. Let f be the endomorphism of R3 associated to the matrix

 
−1 3 −1
A = −1
 5 −2
−2 0 1

with respect to the canonical basis of R3 . Prove tha Ker f ⊂ Im f and explain why f is
not surjective.

Solution. The Kernel is a one dimensional vector subspace and Ker f = L{(1, 1, 2)}. f
cannot be surjective since it is an endomorphism of R3 which is not injective. Finally for
example you can take BIm f = {(−1, −1, −2), (3, 5, 0)} thus Ker f ⊂ Im (Ker f is generated
by a multiple of an element of a basis of Im f ).

Exercise 15. Let f be the endomorphism of R3 associated to the matrix

 
2 2 −4
A=  0 1 0
−3 1 6

with respect to the canonical basis of R3 . Find a basis of Ker(f ) and Im(f ).

Solution. BKer f = {(2, 0, 1)} and BIm f = {(2, 0, 3), (2, 1, 1)}.

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Exercise 16. Let f : R3 → R3 be the endomorphism defined as

f (x, y, z) = (−2x + 3y + 2z, −2y, 3y).

Write Af the matrix associated to the linear map f with respect to the canonical basis of
R3 . Find a basis for Ker f and Im f . Is it true that the vector (−2, 3, 2) belongs to Im f ?

Solution.  
−2 3 2
Af =  0 −2 0
0 3 0
and BKer f = {(1, 0, 1)} and BIm f = {(−2, 0, 0), (3, −2, 3)}. The vector (−2, 3, 2) does not
belong to the image.

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