Kernel and Range

When we talk about the kernel, we are asking for all the vectors in Rn that map
to the zero vector in Rm. The range is all the vectors get in Rm.
Examples:
T: R2
R2, T(x,y) = (x 2y, 3x 6y)
Kernel:
To find the kernel, first get the standard matrix associated with the linear
transformation. To get the standard matrix of this example, compute
T(e1) = T(1,0) and T(e2) = T(0,1).
T(e1) = T(1,0) = (1,3)
T(e2) = T(0,1) = (-2,-6)
1 2
Now the standard matrix [T] is given by
.
3 6
Next, use Gauss-Jordan to find the solution.
x 2 y = 0 x = 2t
1 2 R 23 R1 1 2
3 6 0 0 y = t y = t

So the kernel of this transformation is given by

ker(T ) = t (1,2) = (1,2) , where t = 1.

Range:
To find the range, just take the columns of [T]. Thus the range is given by
1 2
range(T ) = ,
3 6
T: R3
R2, T(x,y,z) = (x y + z, 2x + y z)
Kernel:
Again, to find the kernel we need to find the standard matrix and then put
it reduced row-echelon form.
T(e1) = T(1,0,0) = (1,2)
T(e2) = T(0,1,0) = (-1,1)
T(e3) = T(0,0,1) = (1, -1)
Standard matrix [T]:

1 1 1
2 1 1

Use Gauss-Jordan gives us the following solution:

1
1 1 1 R 2 2 R1 1 1 1 3 R 2 1 1 1 R1+ R 2 1 0 0

0 1 1
0 3 3
2 1 1

0 1 1

x=0
x = 0

y z = 0 y = t
z=t
z = t

So the kernel of this transformation is given by:

ker(T ) = t (0,1,1) = (0,1,1) , where t = 1.
Range:
Again to find the range, just take the columns of [T].
1 1 1
range(T ) = , ,
2 1 1
Now, we can use the kernel and range to determine their dimension.
dim(ker(T)) = nullity(T) = number of free variables
dim(range(T)) = rank(T) = number of leading ones in reduced row-echelon
form
Example:
1 1 3
3 1 5

2 1 5
To find the dimension of the kernel associated with this matrix, we use
Gauss-Jordan.
3
3
1 1 3 R 23 R1 1 1
1 1
3 1 5 R
3 2 R1
2 R3
0 4 4 R

0 1 1

2 1 5
0 1 1
0 4 4
3 R1 R 2 1 0 2
1 1
x + 2 z = 0 x = 2t

R2
R 3+ R 42

0 1
0 1 1 y + z = 0 y = t
1
z=t
z=t
0 4 4
0 0 0

So the dimension of the dim(ker(A)) = 1 and dim(range(T)) = 2.

In general there is a formula relating the number of columns of [T] to the

dimension of the kernel and the dimension of the range.
dim(ker(T)) + dim(range(T)) = number of columns in [T]