National University of Singapore
Department of Mathematics
Semester 1, 2025/26 MA2001 Linear Algebra I Tutorial 1
Questions in this tutorial sheet will be discussed in the tutorial classes in Week 3 (25/8-
29/8).
You are advised to revise Chapter 1 before attempting the questions.
Questions
1. Solve the following linear systems using Gaussian or Gauss-Jordan Elimination.
Use the standard notations for elementary row operations introduced in Notation
1.4.9.
(a)
w + 3x + y + 2z = 1
2w + 6x + 4y + 8z = 3
2y + 4z = 1
(b)
x1 + 4x2 + 2x3 = −2
−2x1 − 8x2 + 3x3 = 32
x2 + x 3 = 1
(c)
a + 2b − 4c − 4d = 5
2a + 4b = 2
2a + 3b + 2c + d = 5
−a + b + 3c + 6d = 5
(Learning objectives: Perform GE or GJE systematically; use standard nota-
tions when performing elementary row operations; determine if a system is con-
sistent or inconsistent from row-echelon forms; write down general solutions from
row-echelon forms.)
(a)
R2 − 2R1 R3 − R2 12 R2 R1 − R2 1 3 0 0 12
1 3 1 2 1
2 6 4 8 3 −→ −→ −→ −→ 0 0 1 2 12 .
0 0 2 4 1 0 0 0 0 0
So a general solution is
w = 21 − 3s
x = s
y = 21 − 2t
z = t, s, t ∈ R.
1
(b)
4 2 −2 1 4 2 −2
1 R2 + 2R1 R2 ↔ R3
−2 −8 3 32 −→ −→ 0 1 1 1 .
0 1 1 1 0 0 7 28
So 7x3 = 28 ⇒ x3 = 4. Then x2 + x3 = 1 ⇒ x2 = −3 and x1 + 4x2 + 2x3 =
−2 ⇒ x1 = 2. So the linear system has a unique solution x1 = 2, x2 =
−3, x3 = 4.
(c)
1 2 −4 −4 5 1
R2 − 2R1 , R3 − 2R1 R2 ↔ R3 8 R3
2 4 0 0 2
−→ −→ −→
2 3 2 1 5
R4 + R 1 R4 + 3R2
−1 1 3 6 5
1 2 −4 −4 5
R4 − 29R3
0 −1 10 9 −5
−→ .
0 0 1 1 −1
0 0 0 0 24
Since the column on the right is a pivot column, the linear system has no
solutions, ie. it is inconsistent.
2. A linear system can be consistent or inconsistent. A consistent linear system can
have a unique solution or infinitely many solutions. For each of the following, write
down the reduced row-echelon form of an appropriately sized augmented matrix
such that the linear system represented by the augmented matrix has the given
solution. If no such row-echelon exists, explain why.
(a) Linear system has 3 variables and 4 equations with unique solution x = 1, y =
3, z = −4.
(b) Linear system has 4 variables with 4 equations with a general solution
x1 = 4 − s + 2t
x2 = −1 − s − 2t
x3 = s
x = t, s, t ∈ R.
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(c) Linear system has 4 variables with 3 equations with a unique solution a =
1, b = 2, c = −1, d = 1.
(d) Linear system has 4 variables with 3 equations with a general solution
w = s
x = t
y = 1−r
z = r, s, t, r ∈ R.
2
(Learning objectives: If you know how to write down the solutions to a linear
system from a row-echelon form of the augmented matrix, you should also know
how to write down a row-echelon form when given the solutions to a linear system.)
1 0 0 1
0 1 0 3
(a) .
0 0 1 −4
0 0 0 0
1 0 1 −2 4
0 1 1 2 −1
(b) .
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
(c) It is not possible for a linear system with 4 variables and 3 equations to have
a unique solution. The augmented matrix has only 3 rows and so any row-
echelon form will have at most 3 leading entries. This means there is at least
one non pivot column on the left in any row-echelon form of the augmented
matrix.
0 0 1 1 1
(d) 0 0 0 0 0 .
0 0 0 0 0
3. A curve with the equation
y = a + bx + cx2 , (*)
where a, b, c are constants, is called a parabola.
(a) Find a, b, c if the parabola passes through the points (1, 0), (−1, −2) and
(2, −2).
(b) Suppose (x1 , y1 ), (x2 , y2 ) and (x3 , y3 ) are three points such that x1 , x2 , x3 are
distinct. Show that we can always find a parabola having an equation of the
form (∗) and passing through the three given points.
(Learning objectives: Coming up with a linear system based on what is given
and then proceeding to solve it. Explaining why the linear system must be consis-
tent.)
(a) Since the parabola passes through the points (1, 0), (−1, −2) and (2, −2),
a, b, c must satisfy the following linear system
a + b + c = 0
a − b + c = −2
a + 2b + 4c = −2
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Solving the system:—
R3 + 21 R2
1 1 1 0 R2 − R1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0
1 −1 1 −2 −→ 0 −2 0 −2 −→ 0 −2 0 −2
1 2 4 −2 R3 − R1 0 1 3 −2 0 0 3 −3
So c = −1, b = 1 and a = −b − c = 0
(b) We want to show that when x2 − x1 ̸= 0, x3 − x1 ̸= 0 and x3 − x2 ̸= 0, the
following linear system is always consistent
2
a + x1 b + x1 c = y1
a + x2 b + x22 c = y2
a + x3 b + x23 c = y3
x21 y1 x21
1 x1 R2 − R1 1 x1 y1
2
1 x2 x2 y2 −→ 0 x 2 − x1 x22 − x21 y2 − y1
2
1 x3 x3 y3 R3 − R1 0 x 3 − x1 x23 − x21 y3 − y1
1
x2 −x1 R 2 1 x1 x21 y1 R3 − R2 1 x1 x21 y1
−y1 y2 −y1
−→ 0 1 x2 + x1 xy22 −x −→ 0 1 x 2 + x1 = R.
1 x2 −x1
−y1
1
x3 −x1 R3 0 1 x3 + x1 xy33 −x 1
0 0 x 3 − x2 ∗
Since x3 − x2 ̸= 0, the three columns on the left of R are all pivot columns,
implying that a unique solution always exists.
4. Determine which of the following statements are true. Justify your answer.
(a) A homogeneous system can have a non-trivial solution.
(b) A non-homogeneous system can have a trivial solution.
(c) If a homogeneous system has a trivial solution, then it cannot have a non-
trivial solution.
(d) If a homogeneous system has a non-trivial solution, then it cannot have a
trivial solution.
(e) If a homogeneous system has a unique solution, then the solution has to be
trivial.
(f) If a homogeneous system has the trivial solution, then the solution has to be
unique.
(g) If a homogeneous system has a non-trivial solution, then there are infinitely
many solutions to the system.
(Learning objectives: You must be clear about the properties of a homogeneous
linear system, in relation to its solutions (trivial, non-trivial, unique or infinitely
many).)
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(a) True. For example
x − z = 0
y − z = 0
(b) False. Given a system of linear equations
a11 x1 + a12 x2 + · · · + a1n xn = b1
a21 x1 + a22 x2 + · · · + a2n xn = b2
.. ..
. .
am1 x1 + am2 x2 + · · · + amn xn = bm ,
if x1 = 0, x2 = 0, . . . , xn = 0 is a solution, then b1 = 0, b2 = 0, . . . , bm = 0 and
hence the system is homogenous.
(c) False. Use the example in (a).
(d) False. Every homogeneous system has the trivial solution.
(e) True. Since every homogeneous system has at least the trivial solution.
(f) False. Use the example in (a).
(g) True. Since every linear system that has more than one solution will have
infinitely many solutions.