Linear Algebra—Winter/Spring 2026
Instructors: A.S. Arora, S. Das, G. R. Kurri
Problem Set 5
Due: 8 PM, Tuesday February 24, 2026
Instructions
a. Timeline. In general, expect the first “half” of a problem set to be released by Tuesday
nights (or whenever the first lecture of the week takes place). Expect the full problem
set to be released by Friday nights (or whenever the second lecture of the week takes
place). The full assignment will, typically, be due on Tuesday nights, 8 PM.
b. Punctuality. Aim to get the assignment done three days prior to the deadline. We will
not be able to entertain any requests for extensions. If you seek clarification from us
and we do not respond on time, do the following: (a) assume whatever seems most
reasonable, and solve the question under that assumption and (b) ensure you have
evidence for making the clarification request and report the incident to one of the PhD
TAs.
c. Resources. Feel free to use any resource you like (including generative AI tools) to get
help but please make sure you understand what you finally write and submit. The
TAs may ask you to explain the reasoning behind your response if something appears
suspicious.
d. Graded vs Practice Questions. Problems numbered using Arabic numerals (i.e. 1, 2, 3, . . . )
constitute assignment problems that will be graded. Problems numbered using Roman
numerals (i.e. i,ii,iii,. . . ) are practice problems that will not be graded.
1. (a) Prove that the dimension of the vector space R over the field R is one.
(b) Prove that the dimension of the vector space R over the field Q is infinite.
Hint. You need not explicitly construct a basis. It suffices to exhibit an in-
finite set of real numbers that is linearly independent over Q. For example,
if p1 , p2 , . . . , pn are distinct prime numbers, consider whether the real numbers
log p1 , log p2 , . . . , log pn are linearly independent.
2. Let V be an n-dimensional vector space over a field F , and let B and B ′ be two ordered
bases of V . Suppose that [α]B = [α]B′ for all α ∈ V . Show that B = B ′ .
3. Let V be an n-dimensional vector space over a field F . Suppose that vectors
α1 , α2 , . . . , αn ∈ V
are linearly independent.
Using Corollary 1 of Chapter 2 of the textbook, which states that if W is a proper
subspace of V , then dim W < dim V , show that {α1 , α2 , . . . , αn } is a basis of V .
4. Let V be an n-dimensional vector space over a field F , and let
α1 , α2 , . . . , αn ∈ V
be vectors that span V . Show that {α1 , α2 , . . . , αn } is a basis of V .
5. Let P2 denote the vector space of all polynomials of degree less than or equal to 2 over
the field R. Let
B = {1, x, x2 } and B ′ = {1 + x, 2 + 3x, 5 + x + x2 }.
Show that B and B ′ are ordered bases of P2 . Find a matrix P such that
[p(x)]B = P [p(x)]B ′ for all p(x) ∈ P2 .
6. Consider the vectors in R4 defined by α1 = (−1, 0, 1, 2), α2 = (3, 4, −2, 5), α3 =
(1, 4, 0, 9). Find a homogeneous system of linear equations for which the space of
solutions is exactly the subspace of R4 spanned by the three given vectors.
7. Let m, n be positive integers. Suppose R is an m × n row-reduced echelon matrix over
some field F and denote its non-zero row vectors by ρ1 , ρ2 . . . ρr . Let W be its row
space and suppose the vector β = (b1 , b2 . . . bn ) is in W . Below, we use ki to denote
the index of the first non-zero column in the row vector ρi .
i. Find the coefficients c1 , . . . cr (in terms of b1 , . . . bn ) when β is written as β =
c1 ρ1 + . . . cr ρr .
ii. Let 1 ≤ s ≤ r. Prove that there is exactly one vector σs in W such that the ks th
coordinate of σs = 1 and the remaining ki th coordinates (for i ∈ {1 . . . r} \ s) of
σs are zero.
iii. Is σs = ρs ? Prove your answer.
8. Let m, n be positive integers. Suppose W is a subspace of F n with dim W ≤ m. Let
β = (b1 , . . . bn ) be a vector in W . Let T := {k1 . . . kr } denote a set of integers such
that for any t ∈ T , there is some β ̸= 0 in W such that its first non-zero coordinate of
β occurs in column t, i.e. β = (0, . . . , 0, bt , . . . bn ) where bt ̸= 0.
i. Explain briefly why one can always assume k1 < k2 < · · · < kr without loss of
generality.
ii. Let ki , kj be distinct indices. Show that β1 = (0, . . . 0, bki , bki +1 , . . . , br ) and β2 =
(0, . . . 0, b′kj , b′kj +1 , . . . , b′r ) are linearly independent (assume bki ̸= 0 and b′kj ̸= 0).
iii. Prove that for each integer ks there is exactly one vector γs in W such that the
ks th coordinate of γs is 1 and the ki th coordinate of γs is 0, for i ̸= s.
9. Which of the following functions T from R2 to R2 are linear transformations? Explain.
(a) T (x1 , x2 ) = (x1 , 1 + x2 );
(b) T (x1 , x2 ) = (x21 , x2 );
(c) T (x1 , x2 ) = (0, x1 − x2 ).
i. Let V be a finite-dimensional vector space over a field F , and let B and B ′ be two
ordered bases of V . In Theorem 7 of Chapter 2 of the textbook, it is shown that there
exists a matrix P such that
[α]B = P [α]B′ for all α ∈ V.
Explain why this matrix P is unique. In particular, indicate how uniqueness follows
implicitly from the construction used in the proof.
ii. Let V be a finite-dimensional vector space over a field F , and let B be an ordered
basis of V . In Theorem 8 of Chapter 2 of the textbook, it is shown that for any n × n
invertible matrix P there exists an ordered basis B ′ of V such that
[α]B = P [α]B′ for all α ∈ V.
Explain why the ordered basis B ′ is unique.
iii. This is a variant of Example 21 that focuses on using the “second method” in the
textbook. Let W be the subspace spanned by α1 = (2, 4, 4, 2), α2 = (2, 8, 4, 4), α3 =
(−2, 0, −4, 3). Let B be the 4 × 3 matrix formed by taking α1 , α2 , α3 as its columns.
i. Using the augmented matrix method, find the condition on Y such that BX = Y
has a solution.
ii. Using your answer, how would you characterise vectors β = (b1 , b2 , b3 , b4 ) ∈ W
(i.e. can you give an explicit condition on the coordinates of β to ensure β is in
W )?
iii. Using the answer to the first part, given that β = (b1 , . . . , b4 ) ∈ W , find the
coordinates (x1 , x2 , x3 ) for β in the ordered basis {α1 , α2 , α3 }.
iv. Solve Example 22 from the textbook.