Mathematics 206

Solutions for HWK 14b

Section 5.3

Section 5.3 p229 Problem 1bc. Explain why the given vectors form a linearly dependent set.

(b) u1 = (3, −1), u2 = (4, 5), u3 = (−4, 7) in R2 .

(c) p1 , p2 in P2 , with p1 (x) = 3 − 2x + x2 and p2 (x) = 6 − 4x + 2x2 .

· ¸ · ¸
−3 4 3 −4
(d) A = and B = in M22 .
2 0 −2 0

Solution. (b) We have 3 vectors in R2 . According to Theorem 5.3.3 (or Thm 5.4.2(a), a more
general result from 5.4), the resulting set has to be dependent.

(c) By inspection, note that p2 = 2p1 .

(d) By inspection, note that A = −B.

Section 5.3 p229 Problem 2abd. Which of the following sets in R3 are linearly dependent?

(a) {(4, −1, 2), (−4, 10, 2)}

(b) {(−3, 0, 4), (5, −1, 2), (1, 1, 3)}

(d) {(−2, 0, 1), (3, 2, 5), (6, −1, 1), (7, 0, −2)}

Solution.

(a) Since neither vector is a scalar multiple of the other, this set is independent, not dependent.

(b) My guess is that this set is independent, but let’s check. According to the Long Theorem, the
system

k1 (−3, 0, 4) + k2 (5, −1, 2) + k3 (1, 1, 3) = 0

will have the unique solution k1 = k2 = k3 = 0 iff

 
−3 5 1
det  0 −1 1  6= 0
4 2 3

By my calculation, this determinant works out to be 39. The trivial solution is the only one. The
given set is independent.

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(d) We have 4 vectors in R3 . This set is dependent.

Section 5.3 p229 Problem 4bd. Which of the following sets of vectors in P2 are linearly
dependent?

(b) {3 + x + x2 , 2 − x + 5x2 , 4 − 3x2 }

(d) {1 + 3x + 3x2 , x + 4x2 , 5 + 6x + 3x2 , 7 + 2x − x2 }

Solution. (b)The assumption that k1 (3 + x + x2 ) + k2 (2 − x + 5x2 ) + k3 (4 − 3x2 ) = 0 for every

x is equivalent to a homogeneous system of equations (obtained by equating coefficients for the
various powers of x) with coefficient matrix
 
3 2 4
 1 −1 0 
1 5 −3

This matrix has determinant equal to 9, not 0. Therefore the only solution to the system in
question is the trivial one. The given functions form an independent set, not dependent.

(d) In this case the same reasoning that was begun in (b) would lead to a homogeneous system
with 4 unknowns but only three equations. Since there are fewer equations than unknowns there
must be nontrivial solutions. The given four functions form a dependent set. In Section 5.4, we
see that P2 has dimension 3 and every set in P2 with more than 3 vectors is dependent.

Section 5.3 p229 Problem 5b. Assume that v1 , v2 , and v3 are vectors in R3 that have their
initial points at the origin. In each part determine whether the three vectors lie in a plane.

(b) v1 = (−6, 7, 2), v2 = (3, 2, 4), v3 = (4, −1, 2)

Solution. Rewording the question slightly, we want to ascertain whether the three points
(−6, 7, 2), (3, 2, 4), and (4, −1, 2) in R3 lie in a plane or not. They will fail to lie in a plane if at
least one of the given vectors is a linear combination of the other two. So test the given three vectors
to see if they form a dependent set. The dependency condition is equivalent to a homogeneous
system with coefficient matrix the matrix formed by using v1 , v2 , and v3 as column vectors. This
matrix has determinant 0. Therefore the homogeneous system has nontrivial solutions. Therefore
the given set of vectors is dependent. The three points do lie in a plane.

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Section 5.3 p229 Problem 8. For which real values of λ do the following vectors form a
linearly dependent set in R3 ?
1 1 1 1 1 1
v1 = (λ, − , − ), v2 = (− , λ, − ), v3 = (− , − , λ)
2 2 2 2 2 2

Solution. The question asks: for which values of λ does the equation

1 1 1 1 1 1
k1 (λ, − , − ) + k2 (− , λ, − ) + k3 (− , − , λ) = (0, 0, 0)
2 2 2 2 2 2

have nontrivial solutions? The coefficient matrix for the resulting homogeneous system is
 
λ − 12 − 12
 −1 λ − 12 
2
− 12 − 12 λ

The given set of vectors will be dependent iff this matrix has zero determinant. The determinant
3λ 1
works out to be λ3 − − so we need to have
4 4
3λ 1
λ3 − − =0
4 4

4λ3 − 3λ − 1 = 0
(λ − 1)(4λ2 + 4λ + 1) = 0
(λ − 1)(2λ + 1)2 = 0
1
λ = 1 or λ = −
2
1
The values for λ that give a dependent set are λ = 1 and λ = − .
2

Section 5.3 p229 Problem 19ac. Use appropriate identities, where required, to determine
which of the following sets of vectors in F (−∞, ∞) are linearly dependent.

(a) {6, , 3 sin2 x, 2 cos2 x}

(c) {1, sin x, sin 2x}

Solution. (a) By inspection and a familiar identity, 2(3 sin2 x) + 3(2 cos2 x) = 6 for every x. The
given set is dependent.

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 Math 206 HWK 14b Solns contd
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(c) I’d guess that this one is independent. Let’s try to prove it. Suppose that there exist scalars
k1 , k2 , k3 for which
k1 + k2 sin x + k3 sin 2x = 0

for every x. Using x = 0 we find k1 = 0 so we have

k2 sin x + k3 sin 2x = 0

π
for every x. Using x = we find k2 = 0, which gives us
2
k3 sin 2x = 0

for every x. Since some values of sin 2x are nonzero, it must be that k3 = 0. Thus k1 = k2 = k3 = 0
and the given set is independent, not dependent.

Section 5.3 p229 Problem 23b. True or false? Give argument or counterexample.

(b) If {v1 , v2 } is a linearly dependent set, then each vector is a scalar multiple of the other.

Solution. This is false. In any vector space V (except one whose only vector is the zero vector),
if v1 = 0 but v2 is not the zero vector, then v1 = 0v2 (so {v1 , v2 } is dependent) but v2 is not a
scalar multiple of v1 .

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