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Worksheet: Proofs

The document is a worksheet containing 10 proofs related to linear algebra. It addresses topics like properties of invertible matrices, solutions to homogeneous and non-homogeneous linear systems, and properties of inverses of various matrix types.

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153 views

Worksheet: Proofs

The document is a worksheet containing 10 proofs related to linear algebra. It addresses topics like properties of invertible matrices, solutions to homogeneous and non-homogeneous linear systems, and properties of inverses of various matrix types.

Uploaded by

PCHANFAN
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Vanier College Linear Algebra I (Science)

Department of Mathematics 201-NYC-05


Worksheet: Proofs
1. Let A and B be two square matrices such that A = 0 and AB = 0. Prove that
B is not invertible.
2. Could a 2 4 linear system be inconsistent? Provide an example.
3. Prove or disprove that the inverse of a symmetric matrix is symmetric.
4. If A and B are square matrices of the same size and AB is invertible, prove
that both A and B are invertible.
5. Let AX = 0 be a homogeneous linear system of n-equations for n-variables,
that has only the trivial solution. Prove that if k is any positive integer the
linear system A
k
X = 0 also has only the trivial solution.
6. For two matrices A and B is (A + B)
1
= A
1
+ B
1
?
7. Prove that the inverse of a nonsingular upper triangular matrix is upper
triangular.
8. Show that if the linear system AX = B has more than one solution it has
innitely many solution.
9. Could a 4 2 linear system have unique solution. Present an example of such
a system.
10. Prove that if A is a matrix such that A
3
= 0 then (I A)
1
= I + A + A
2
.
Solutions
1. Suppose that B is invertible. In that
case,
A B = 0 A BB
1
= 0 B
1

A = 0 which contradicts the fact


that A = 0.
Then B is not invertible.
2. Yes. For example:
w + x + y + z = 1
w + x + y + z = 2
3. Let A be a symmetric matrix. Then
A
T
= A.
A
1
is symmetric if (A
1
)
T
= A
1
.
But (A
1
)
T
=

A
T

1
= A
1
.
Therefore, the inverse of a symmet-
ric matrix is symmetric.
4. If AB is invertible, then there exists
(AB)
1
such that
AB (AB)
1
= I and
(AB)
1
AB = I.
This means that
A

B(AB)
1

= I, and so
B(AB)
1
= A
1
and

(AB)
1
A

B = I, and so
(AB)
1
A = B
1
.
Therefore, A and B are invertible.
5. If the homogeneous system AX =
0 only has a trivial solution, this
means that A is invertible. (Since
in that case we would have AX =
0 X = A
1
0 = 0).
Using the same argument, the sys-
tem A
k
X = 0 only has a trivial so-
lution if A
k
is invertible.
But A
k
is invertible (Since A is in-
vertible). Therefore,
A
k
X = 0 X =

A
k

1
0 = 0
which is the trivial solution.
6. No! (A + B)
1
= A
1
+B
1
. Heres
an counter-example:
A =

1 0
0 1

A
1
=

1 0
0 1

and
B =

1 0
0 1

B
1
=

1 0
0 1

A
1
+B
1
=

0 0
0 0

, but (A + B)
1
=

0 0
0 0

1
, which, as we all know, doesnt
exist.
7. Let A =

a
11
a
12
.... a
1n
0 a
22
.... a
2n
.... .... ... ....
0 0 .... a
nn

. Since
A is nonsingular, then A
1
exists.
Let A
1
=

b
11
b
12
.... b
1n
b
21
b
22
.... b
2n
.... .... ... ....
b
n1
b
n2
.... b
nn

.
If any of the b
ni
, i = n (entries of
the last row besides for b
nn
) is dif-
ferent than 0, then when we multi-
ply A A
1
we get a non zero en-
try that is not on the main diago-
nal. Therefore, A
1
must look like

b
11
b
12
.... b
1n
b
21
b
22
.... b
2n
.... .... ... ....
0 0 .... b
nn

.
If any of the b
(n1)i
, i < n1(entries
of the second to last row to the left
of b
(n1)(n1)
) is dierent than 0, then
when we multiply A A
1
we get a
non zero entry that is not on the
main diagonal.
By following this same argument for
every row, A
1
must be upper trian-
gular.
8. Let X
1
and X
2
be two distinct solu-
tions of the linear system AX = B.
In that case, we have AX
1
= B and
AX
2
= B.
But, if X
1
and X
2
are two solutions,
then so is all X of the form X =
mX
1
+nX
2
m+n
with m R, n R.
A

mX
1
+nX
2
m+n

=
m
m+n
AX
1
+
n
m+n
AX
2
=
m
m+n
B +
n
m+n
B = B
Therefore, there are innitely many
solutions to AX = B.
9. Yes! Heres an example:
x + y = 2
x + 2y = 3
x + 3y = 4
x + 4y = 5
10. We know that A
3
= 0. Then,
A
3
= 0 I A
3
= I
I = I A + A A
2
+ A
2
A
3
I = (I + A + A
2
) (I A)
I (I A)
1
=
(I + A + A
2
) (I A) (I A)
1
(I A)
1
= I + A + A
2

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