MA111: Linear Algebra
Short Test 1 Solutions: Semester 1, 2010
Question 1
Use the Matrix Inverse Method to find the polynomial function whose graph passes
through the points ( 2,5 ) , ( 3, 2 ) , and ( 4,5 ) .
Solution
Consider p ( x ) = a0 + a1 x + a2 x 2 such that
p ( 2 ) = a0 + 2a1 + 4a2 = 5,
p ( 3) = a0 + 3a1 + 9a2 = 2,
p ( 4 ) = a0 + 4a1 + 16a2 = 5.
1 2 4
The coefficient matrix is A = 1 3 9 . Thus, we find A−1 as follows:
1 4 16
1 2 4 1 0 0 1 2 4 1 0 0
− R + R2 → new R2
A I 3 = 1 3 9 0 1 0 ⇒ 1 0 1 5 −1 1 0
− R1 + R3 → new R3
1 4 16 0 0 1 0 2 12 −1 0 1
1 0 −6 3 −2 0
−2 R2 + R1 → new R1
⇒
−2 R2 + R3 → new R3 0 1 5 −1 1 0
0 0 2 1 −2 1
1 0 −6 3 −2 0
1
⇒ R3 → new R3 0 1 5 −1 1 0
2
0 0 1 12 −1 12
1 0 0 6 −8 3 3 −2 0
6 R3 + R1 → new R1
⇒ 0 1 0 − 2
7
6 − 52 Therefore, A = −1
−1
1 0
−5R3 + R2 → new R2
0 0 1 12 −1 1 12 −1 12
2
1
a0 5 3 −2 0 5 29
Hence, a1 = A 2 = −1
−1
1 0 2 = −18 .
a2 5 12 −1 12 5 3
So, p ( x ) = 29 − 18 x + 3 x 2 .
Question 2
(a) Why is multiplying a row by the constant zero not an elementary row
operation?
(b) Consider the following system of linear equations:
x + y − 5z = 3
x − 2z = 1
2x − y − z = 0
(i) Solve the above system of linear equations using Gauss-Jordan
Elimination.
(ii) Solve the above system of linear equations if xy = 2 .
Solution
(a) Changes the solution of the original system.
(b)
1 1 −5 3
(i) The augmented matrix is 1 0 −2 1 , which reduces as follows:
2 −1 −1 0
1 1 −5 3 1 1 −5 3
− R1 + R2 → new R2
−2 R1 + R3 → new R3 0 −1 3 −2 ⇒ − R2 → new R2 0 1 −3 2
0 −3 9 −6 0 −3 9 −6
1 0 −2 1
− R2 + R1 → new R1
⇒
3R2 + R3 → new R3 0 1 −3 2
0 0 0 0
Let z = t , t ∈ ℝ such that the solution set is
2
x = 1 + 2t ,
y = 2 + 3t ,
z= t, t ∈ℝ
(ii) Note that xy = (1 + 2t )( 2 + 3t ) = 2 + 7t + 6t 2 . Since xy = 2 , we have
7
7t + 6t 2 = t ( 7 + 6t ) = 0 , so that either t = 0 or t = − . For t = 0 , the solution is
6
7 4 3
x = 1 , y = 2 , and z = 0 . For t = − , the solution is x = − , y = − , and
6 3 2
7
z=− .
6
Question 3
1 2 3 1 3 −2 0
(a) Let A= , B= , and C= .
0 1 −1 −1 2 0 −1
Compute the following:
B ( C A) (B + CT ) A
T T
(i) (ii)
(iii) B −1 (iv) ( Tr ( B) + C ) ( A
T
CT )
(v) C7
(b) Explain why the formula ( A + B )( A + B ) = A2 + 2 AB + B 2 is not valid for
matrices.
Solution
(a)
1 3 −2 −4 −6 −2 −7 −3
(i) B ( CA ) = =
−1 2 0 −1 1 2 2 8
T
−1 −1 1 2 3 −1 1 −6
(ii) (B T
+C )
T T
A = =
3 1 0 1 −1 −1 −1 −4
1 2 −3 52
−1
− 53
(iii) B = = 1
5 1 1 15 5
3
T −10 0
−2 −4 −6
(iv) ( Tr ( B ) + C ) ( CA) = ( 3 + 2 ) 0 −1 1 = −20 −5
T
−30 5
( −2 ) 7 0 −128 0
(v) C =
7
=
( −1) 0 −1
7
0
(b) Generally, AB ≠ BA . That is, in general, matrix multiplication is not commutative.
Question 4
−3 −6 9
Consider A = 6 9 12 .
9 12 15
Use elementary row operations to evaluate A , and then evaluate the following:
(AA ) T 2
(i) (ii) 2A
A−1 ( AT )
−1
(iii) 3 A−1 (iv)
(v) A B , where B is a 2 × 2 matrix and B = 2
Solution
−3 −6 9
2 R + R2 → new R2
(a) A = 6 9 12 1
3R1 + R3 → new R3
9 12 15
−3 −6 9 −3 −6 9
= 0 −3 30 ( −2 R2 + R3 → new R3 ) = 0 −3 30 = −3 × −3 × −18 = −162
0 −6 42 0 0 −18
(b)
( AA ) ( ) =( A A) = A = ( −162 ) = 688,747,536
2 2 2 2
= AAT = A AT
T 4 4
(i)
(ii) 2 A = 23 A = 8 ( −162 ) = −1, 296
1 1 1
(iii) 3 A−1 = 33 A−1 = 33 × = 27 × =−
A −162 6
4
A−1 ( AT ) = A−1 ( AT ) × ( A−1 ) = × A−1 = ×
−1 −1 1 T 1 1 1 1
(iv) = = 2
A A A A A
1 1
= =
( −162 )
2
26, 244
Question 5
(a) Let A , B , and A + B be nonsingular matrices. Prove that A−1 + B −1 is
nonsingular by showing that ( A−1 + B −1 ) = A ( A + B ) B .
−1 −1
(b) A square matrix is called skew-symmetric if AT = − A . Prove that if A is an n × n
skew-symmetric matrix, then A = ( −1) A .
n
Moreover, if n is odd, show that A = 0 .
Solution
(a) ( A−1 + B −1 )( A−1 + B −1 ) = ( A−1 + B −1 ) A ( A + B ) B = ( A−1 + B −1 ) A ( A + B ) B
−1 −1 −1
= ( A−1 A + B −1 A ) ( A + B ) B = ( I + B −1 A ) ( A + B ) B
−1 −1
= ( B −1 B + B −1 A ) ( A + B ) B = B −1 ( B + A ) ( A + B ) B
−1 −1
= B −1 ( A + B ) ( A + B ) B = B −1 ( A + B )( A + B ) B
− 1 −1
−1 −1
= B IB = B B = I
(b) A = AT = − A = ( −1) A = ( −1) A
n
A = ( −1) A = − A ⇒2 A =0 ⇒ A =0
n
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THE END
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5
LINEAR ALGEBRA
Practice Problems For the Final Examination
Note: Solutions to the practice problems will not be provided
Question 1
Consider the following system of linear equations:
3x + 3 y + 12 z = 6
x + y + 4z = 2
2 x + 5 y + 20 z = 10
− x + 2 y + 8z = 4
(a) Solve the above system using Gauss-Jordan Elimination.
(b) Solve the above system under the restriction that yz = 0 .
Question 2
Solve the system of equations for x and y .
x2 + 2 y3 = 2
3x 2 − y 3 = 13
Question 3
Find the conditions on w , x , y , and z such that AB = BA for the following matrices.
w x 1 1
A= and B =
y z −1 1
Question 4
Prove that each statement is true if A and B are square matrices of order n and c is a
scalar.
(a) Tr ( A + B ) = Tr ( A ) + Tr ( B )
(b) Tr ( cA) = cTr ( A)
6
Question 5
Show that the matrix equation has no solution.
1 1 1 0
1 1 A = 0 1
Question 6
2 0 0
Given A = 0 −2 0 , compute the following.
0 0 2
(a) A19 (b) A21
Question 7
Prove that if A is an m × n square matrix, then AAT and AT A are symmetric matrices.
Question 8
Let A be a square matrix of order n .
(a) Show that
1
2
( A + AT ) is symmetric.
(b) Show that
1
2
( A − AT ) is skew-symmetric.
(c) Prove that A can be written as the sum of asymmetric matrix B and a
skew-symmetric matrix C , A = B + C .
2 5 3
(d) Write the matrix A = −3 6 0 as the sum of a skew-symmetric matrix and a
4 1 1
symmetric matrix.
7
Question 9
Use the matrix inverse method to determine the polynomial whose graph passes through
the given points: ( −1,3) , ( 0, 0 ) , (1,1) , ( 4,58 )
Question 10
Use Cramer’s Rule to solve the system of linear equations for x and y .
kx + (1 − k ) y = 1
(1 − k ) x + ky = 3
For what value(s) of k will the system be inconsistent?
Question 11
Find an equation of the plane passing through the given points.
(a) (1, −2,1) , ( −1, −1,7 ) , ( 2, −1,3)
(b) (1, 2,7 ) , ( 4, 4, 2 ) , ( 3,3, 4 )
