Amanda Ballard, Mushfiq Khan

MATH-364-HW-3

MATH 364 - Advanced Linear Algebra

Assignment 3
Amanda Ballard and Mushfiq Khan

1.6-6

Problem Suppose A is a 2 1 matrix and that B is a 1 2 matrix. Prove that C = AB is

not invertible.
Solution

Let A =

a1
a2

and B =

. Then we have:


a1 b1 a1 b2
C = AB =
a2 b1 a2 b2
b1 b2

If a1 = 0, all the entries of the first row go to 0, so C is not invertible. Otherwise if all the
coefficients are non-zero, then subtracting the product of aa12 and elements in the first row from
those of the second row yields all zeroes on the second row, again making C non-invertible.

1.6-7

Problem

Let A be an n n (square) matrix. Prove the following two statements:

(a) If A is invertible and AB = 0 for some n n matrix B, then B = 0

(b) If A is not invertible, then there exists an n n matrix B such that AB = 0 but B 6= 0
Solution
(a) If A is invertible and AB = 0, then B = A1 AB = A1 0 = 0
(b) If A is not invertible, the system of equations AX = 0 has nontrivial solution, call it Xs .
Let B be the n n matrix whose columns = Xs . Therefore B 6= 0 but AB = 0

2.1-5

Problem

On Rn , define two operations

=
c = c

The operations on the right are the usual ones. Which of the axioms for a vector space are
satisfied by (Rn , , )?

Amanda Ballard, Mushfiq Khan

MATH-364-HW-3

Solution Lets consider each of the axioms from the definition of vector spaces (pg. 28-29
from Hoffman):
3(a) Whenever 6= , 6= , so addition is not commutative, so this axiom doesnt
hold.
3(b) Take = = 0 and some non-zero . Then ( ) = , but ( ) = , thereby
addition is not associative, thus this axiom fails.
3(c) Let z V . Need to show that z = = z if z = 0. We see that z = z =
but z = z z = 2 6= 0 for non-zero , so axiom doesnt hold.
3(d) This axiom doesnt hold either as = () = + = 2 6= 0 for non-zero
4(a) This axiom fails, as for non-zero Rn , 1 = 6=
4(b) For non-zero c1 , c2 F and Rn , (c1 c2 ) = c1 c2 , but c1 (c2 ) = c1 c2 , so this
axiom fails.
4(c) For non-zero c F and , Rn , c ( ) = c( ) = c (c) = (c ) (c ),
so this axiom holds.
4(d) For 6= 0, (1 + 1) = 2 6= 0, but (1 ) (1 ) = () = 0, so this axiom
doesnt hold.

2.2-5

Problem Let F be a field and let n be a positive integer (n 2). Let V be the vector space
of all n n matrices over F. Which of the following sets of matrices A in V are subspaces of V ?
(a) all invertible A
(b) all non-invertible A
(c) all A such that AB = BA, where B is some fixed matrix in V
(d) all A such that A2 = A
Solution Recall Theorem 1 from class.
W is a subspace of V if and only if
(i) for u, v W , u + v W (Closed under addition)
(ii) for w W and c F , then cw W (Closed under scalar multiplication)
(iii) 0 W
Now, solving each of the above cases,
2

Amanda Ballard, Mushfiq Khan

MATH-364-HW-3

(a) Let B be a zero matrix of size n. In order for the set of all invertible A to be a subspace of
V , B must be in the set of all invertible A by (iii) from Theorem 1.
However, the zero matrix of size n is not invertible, and therefore cannot be in the set of all
invertible matrices A. Thus, all invertible A is not a subspace of V




0 0 . Then A, B S because
(b) Let the set of non-invertible A be S. Let A = 10 00
and B =
01




A and B are not invertible. We have A + B = 10 00 + 00 01 = 10 01 = I4 . We know that I
is invertible, so A + B
/ S, and thus all non-invertible A is not a subspace of V .
(c) Let the set of given matrices be W.
(i) closed under addition
Let C, D W . We know that (C + D)B = CB + DB. Recall that AB = BA where,
A = C + D. So BA = B(C + D) = (C + D)B = BA, thus C, D W and is closed under
addition.
(ii) closed under multiplication
Let c F . We have (cA)B = cAB. Using the fact that AB = BA, cAB = cBA = BcA =
B(cA), thus cA W and is closed under multiplication.
Because W is closed under addition and under scalar multiplication, W is a subspace of V
(d) Take matrix I. We know that I 2 = I.
(ii) is it closed under scalar multiplication?
(CI)2 = C 2 I 2 = C 2 I 6= I for C with values 6= 1. As such, this set of matrices is not closed
under scalar multiplication and is therefore not a subspace of V .

2.2-7

Problem Let W1 amd W2 be subspaces of a vector space V such that the set-theoretic union
of W1 and W2 is also a subspace. Prove that one of the spaces Wi is contained in the other.
Solution Proof by contradiction: We want to prove that either W1 W2 or W2 W1 .
Suppose W1 * W2 and W2 * W1 . Therefore, there must exist some x W1 but
/ W2 and some
y W2 but
/ W1 . Thus, we can say that x W1 W2 and y W1 W2 .
Because W1 W2 is a subspace, x + y W1 W2 . This implies that x + y W1 or x + y W2 .
Take x + y W2 . Given that W2 is a subspace and that y W2 , y must also be in W2 .
Recall
x + y W2
x + y + (y) W2
x W2
Along with the previous statement that x W1 , this implies that W1 W2 , which contradicts our supposition. Thus our supposition is incorrect and either W1 W2 or W2 W1 ,
which completes the proof.