Linear Algebra : Operations and Properties

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Linear Algebra

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #26 : Linear Mapping

There are relationships between the dimension of the null space (sometimes called kernal) and if a function is 1-to-1

The dimension of a linear map's null space is zero. Is the linear map 1-to-1?

Possible Answers:

Not enough information

No

Yes

Correct answer:

Yes

Explanation:

A linear map is always 1-to-1 if the null space has dimension zero.

The converse of this statement is also true. A linear map is 1-to-1 if the null space has dimension 0.

Example Question #511 : Operations And Properties

A mapping is said to 1-to-1 (sometimes called injective) if no two vectors in the domain go to the same vector in the image of the mapping.

Is the linear map \(\displaystyle f:R^2 \rightarrow R^2\) such that \(\displaystyle f(x,y)=(0,0)\) 1-to1?
(Note this is called the zero mapping)

Possible Answers:

Yes

No

Not enough information

Correct answer:

No

Explanation:

The linear map, \(\displaystyle f,\) is not 1-to-1 because more than one vector goes to the zero vector. In fact, all vectors go to the same vector for the zero mapping!

For example, the vector \(\displaystyle (1,1)\) and \(\displaystyle (10,4)\) both go to the same vector. Thus \(\displaystyle f\) is not 1-to-1

Example Question #512 : Operations And Properties

A linear map \(\displaystyle f:R^4 \rightarrow R^2\) has a null space that is spanned by the vectors,

\(\displaystyle (1,2,-1,1)\) and \(\displaystyle (4,2,5,1)\). is this function 1-to-1?

Possible Answers:

No

Not enough information

Yes

Correct answer:

No

Explanation:

This linear mapping is not 1-to-1. We know this because the null space is spanned by two vectors. Therefore the null space has dimension \(\displaystyle 2\). A linear map is 1-to-1 only if it has a null space with dimension zero. This linear map doesn't have a null space of dimension zero, therefore it is not 1-to-1.

Example Question #31 : Linear Mapping

A linear map \(\displaystyle f:R^4 \rightarrow R^3\) has a rank of 3. Is the linear map, \(\displaystyle f\),  1-to-1?

(Hint- Use the formula \(\displaystyle d=n+r\) where

\(\displaystyle d\) is the dimension of the domain

\(\displaystyle n\) is the dimension of the null space

\(\displaystyle r\) is the rank of the linear map )

Possible Answers:

No

Not enough information

Yes

Correct answer:

No

Explanation:

The answer is no because the dimension of the null space is not zero. This comes from the equation

\(\displaystyle d=n+r\)

We know that the domain is \(\displaystyle R^4\) which has dimension of \(\displaystyle 4\). Therefore

\(\displaystyle d=4\)

Also from the problem statement \(\displaystyle r=2\).

Plugging these into the equation gives

\(\displaystyle d=n+r\)

\(\displaystyle 4=n+2\)

\(\displaystyle n=2\)

Since the dimension of the null space is \(\displaystyle 2\) and not \(\displaystyle 0\), then the function can't be 1-to-1.

Example Question #31 : Linear Mapping

A linear map \(\displaystyle f:R^4 \rightarrow R^2\) has a null space consisting of only the zero vector. Is \(\displaystyle f\) 1-to-1?

Possible Answers:

No

Yes

Not enough information

Correct answer:

Yes

Explanation:

If the dimension of the null space is zero then the linear map is 1-to-1.

For this problem, we are told the null space is only the zero vector. Therefore the null space has dimension \(\displaystyle 0\). Since the null space has dimension \(\displaystyle 0\), then \(\displaystyle f\) is 1-to-1.

Example Question #33 : Linear Mapping

A linear map \(\displaystyle f:R^4 \rightarrow R^5\) has a rank of 4. Is the linear map, \(\displaystyle f\),  1-to-1?

(Hint- Use the formula \(\displaystyle d=n+r\) where

\(\displaystyle d\) is the dimension of the domain

\(\displaystyle n\) is the dimension of the null space

\(\displaystyle r\) is the rank of the linear map )

Possible Answers:

No

Not enough information

Yes

Correct answer:

Yes

Explanation:

The answer is yes because the dimension of the domain and the rank are equal. This implies that the dimension of the null space is zero.

This comes from the equation

\(\displaystyle d=n+r\)

We know that the domain is \(\displaystyle R^4\) which has dimension of \(\displaystyle 4\). Therefore

\(\displaystyle d=4\)

Also from the problem statement \(\displaystyle r=4\).

Plugging these into the equation gives

\(\displaystyle d=n+r\)

\(\displaystyle 4=n+4\)

\(\displaystyle n=0\)

Since the dimension of the null space is \(\displaystyle 0\) then the function is 1-to-1.

Notice that whenever \(\displaystyle d=r\), then \(\displaystyle n\) is always zero. Thus whenever \(\displaystyle d=r\), the linear mapping is 1-to-1.

Example Question #32 : Linear Mapping

The null space (sometimes called the kernal) of a mapping is a subspace in the domain such that all vectors in the null space map to the zero vector.  

Consider the mapping \(\displaystyle f:R^2\rightarrow R^3\) such that \(\displaystyle f(x,y) = (5x+5y,x+y,0)\).

What is the the null space of \(\displaystyle f\)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle R^2\)

The space spanned by the vector \(\displaystyle (1,-1)\)

The zero vector

\(\displaystyle R^3\)

Correct answer:

The space spanned by the vector \(\displaystyle (1,-1)\)

Explanation:

Any vector in the null space satisfies \(\displaystyle f(x,y) = (0,0,0)\).

Therefore we get the following equation:

 \(\displaystyle (5x+5y,x+y,0) = (0,0,0)\)

Thus \(\displaystyle x=-y\). Hence the null space is any vector in form \(\displaystyle (a,-a)\) where \(\displaystyle a\) is any real number. Therefore, any point on the line \(\displaystyle y=x\) gets mapped to the zero vector in \(\displaystyle R^3\) 

Example Question #35 : Linear Mapping

This problem deals with the zero map. I.e the map that takes all vectors to the zero vector.

Consider the mapping \(\displaystyle f:R^2\rightarrow R^3\) such that \(\displaystyle f(x,y) = (0,0,0)\).

What is the the null space of \(\displaystyle f\)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle R^2\)

The line \(\displaystyle y=x\)

The vector \(\displaystyle (0,0)\)

\(\displaystyle R^3\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle R^2\)

Explanation:

The zero map takes all vectors to the zero vector. Therefore, the entire domain of the map is the null space. The domain of this map is \(\displaystyle R^2\). Thus \(\displaystyle R^2\) is the null space.

Example Question #32 : Linear Mapping

This problem deals with the zero map. I.e the map the takes all vectors to the zero vector.

Consider the mapping \(\displaystyle f:R^2\rightarrow R^3\) such that \(\displaystyle f(x,y) = (0,0,0)\).

What is the the rank of \(\displaystyle f\)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 1\)

\(\displaystyle 3\)

\(\displaystyle 2\)

\(\displaystyle 0\)

\(\displaystyle 4\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 0\)

Explanation:

The image of the the zero map is the zero vector. A single vector has dimension \(\displaystyle 0\). Therefore the dimension of the image is zero. Hence the rank is zero. 

Example Question #32 : Linear Mapping

\(\displaystyle C_{ \mathbb{R}}\) refers to the set of all functions with domain \(\displaystyle \mathbb{R}\) and range a subset of \(\displaystyle \mathbb{R}\).

Define the transformation \(\displaystyle T: C_{ \mathbb{R}} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}\) to be

\(\displaystyle T(f) = \sum_{j=1}^{100} f'(j)\)

True or false: \(\displaystyle T\) is a linear transformation.

Possible Answers:

False

True

Correct answer:

True

Explanation:

For \(\displaystyle T\) to be a linear transformation, it must hold that 

\(\displaystyle T(f+g)= T(f)+ T(g)\)

and

\(\displaystyle T(cf) = cT(f)\)

for all \(\displaystyle f,g\) in the domain of \(\displaystyle T\) and and for all scalar \(\displaystyle c\).

Let \(\displaystyle f, g \in C_{ \mathbb{R}}\).

\(\displaystyle T(f) = \sum_{j=1}^{100} f'(j)\) and \(\displaystyle T(g) = \sum_{j=1}^{100} g'(j)\), so

\(\displaystyle T(f)+ T(g)= \sum_{j=1}^{100} f'(j)+ \sum_{j=1}^{100} g'(j)\)

By the sum rule for finite sequences,

\(\displaystyle T(f)+ T(g)= \sum_{j=1}^{100}[ f'(j) + g'(j)]\)

By the derivative sum rule,

\(\displaystyle T(f)+ T(g)= \sum_{j=1}^{100}( f '+g')(j)\)

\(\displaystyle T(f)+ T(g)= \sum_{j=1}^{100}( f +g)'(j)\)

\(\displaystyle T(f)+ T(g)= T(f+g)\)

The first condition is met.

Let \(\displaystyle f \in C_{ \mathbb{R}}\) and \(\displaystyle c\) be a scalar.

\(\displaystyle T(f) = \sum_{j=1}^{100} f'(j)\)

\(\displaystyle c T(f) = c\sum_{j=1}^{100} f'(j)\)

By the scalar product rule for finite sequences,

\(\displaystyle c T(f) = \sum_{j=1}^{100}c f'(j)\)

By the scalar product rule for derivatives,

\(\displaystyle c T(f) = \sum_{j=1}^{100}(c f)'(j)\)

\(\displaystyle c T(f) =T(c f)\)

The second condition is met.

\(\displaystyle T\) is a linear transformation.

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors