Department of Mathematics, University of Toronto

MAT223H1F - Linear Algebra I

Fall 2014
Final Exam Review Sheet

Suggestions for Review

Before solving the problems on this review sheet, I suggest that you carefully review your course notes,
tutorial problems, and quizzes. Some problems from the textbook will also be extremely useful for practicing.
On this review sheet, I have provided a list of the textbook problems from each of Sections 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2,
2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.4, and 8.1 that I believe to be the most important ones for you
to solve when studying.
It is absolutely essential that you remember the precise statements of definitions, theorems, propositions,
lemmas, corollaries, etc. from lecture. We will ask you about some of these on the final exam. Secondly, a
knowledge of these statements will help to guide your reasoning when solving computational problems, and
they will be particularly helpful on the proof-style question.
This review sheet may not cover every idea you need to master, but it is intended to help reinforce some
of the main themes developed during lecture and tutorials.
Please do not hesitate to ask for help at any time.
I hope this is helpful, and I want to wish everyone the best of luck!
Chapter 1: Systems of Linear Equations
Sections on Final Exam: 1.1, 1.2
Keywords: system of linear equations, homogeneous system of linear equations, solution, trivial solution,
non-trivial solution, consistent, inconsistent, augmented matrix, free variable, echelon form, reduced echelon
form
Using an echelon form of the augmented matrix [A | b], how can you determine whether a system of
linear equations is consistent or inconsistent? If it is consistent, how can you determine whether there
are any free variables? If there are free variables, how can you determine which variables are free
variables?
Why are homogeneous systems of linear equations always consistent?
How is reduced echelon form different from echelon form?
Problems:
1. Consider the following homogeneous system of linear equations.
x1 4x3 = 0
x1 + x2 + 2x3 = 0
x1 + 2x2 + x4 = 0
(a) Find the augmented matrix of this system.
(b) Find the solutions of this system.

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Important Textbook Problems:

Section 1.1: 35-38, 51-52
Section 1.2: 5-10, 27-30, 46-47
Chapter 2: Euclidean Space
Sections on Final Exam: 2.1, 2.2, 2.3
Keywords: vector addition, scalar multiplication, linear combination, span, linear independence, linear
dependence
What precisely does it mean for a set {u1 , u2 , . . . , um } of vectors in Rn to be linearly independent?
What precisely is meant by span{u1 , u2 , . . . , um }?
Let {u1 , u2 , . . . , um } be a set of vectors in Rn . In general, the condition that {u1 , u2 , . . . , um } is
linearly independent is different from the condition that the vectors u1 , u2 , . . . , um span Rn . In which
special case do these conditions mean the same thing?
Problems:


c
2
1
1
2. For what value of c is c span 1 , 1 , 0 ?

3
1
0
1

3. Consider the following sets of vectors in R3 .

2
2
1
(i) 3 , 5 , 2

0
7
2

1
2
0
(ii) 2 , 1 , 2

2
3
2
(a) In each of (i) and (ii), determine whether the set of vectors is linearly independent or dependent.
(b) In each of (i) and (ii), determine whether the vectors span R3 .

4. Let u1 , u2 , . . . , um be vectors in Rn and let c be a scalar.

(a) If c 6= 0 and {u1 , u2 , . . . , um } is linearly independent, then show that {cu1 , cu2 , . . . , cum } is linearly
independent.
(b) If c 6= 0 and the vectors u1 , u2 , . . . , um span Rn , then show that the vectors cu1 , cu2 , . . . , cum span
Rn .

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Important Textbook Problems:

Section 2.1: 27-30
Section 2.2: 10-12, 21-28, 39-42, 51, 53-54, 57, 65-66
Section 2.3: 1-6, 13-18, 39, 40-42, 45-47, 49, 50, 53-54
Chapter 3: Matrices
Sections on Final Exam: 3.1, 3.2, 3.3
Keywords: matrix addition, scalar multiplication, matrix multiplication, composition of linear transformations, n n identity matrix, transpose of a matrix, invertible matrix, inverse of a matrix, invertible linear
transformation, inverse of a linear transformation
What is the relationship between matrix multiplication and the composition of linear transformations?
We have a formal definition of what it means for a matrix to be invertible, but we have discussed some
conditions that are equivalent to being invertible. What are some of these conditions?
What is the relationship between invertible matrices and invertible linear transformations?
Problems:
5. Consider the linear transformation T : R2 R3 defined by

 
x1 5x2
x1
T
= 2x1 + 3x2 .
x2
x1 + x2
(a) Find a 3 2 matrix A such that T (x) = Ax.
(b) Is T one-to-one? Justify your answer.
(c) Is T onto? Justify your answer.

1
6. Let A = 2
1

1
1
1

2
2.
1

(a) Is A invertible? If yes, then find A1 .

2
(b) Solve the system Ax = 1.
5

7. Let T : Rm Rn be a linear transformation and let u1 , u2 , . . . , uk be vectors in Rm . If T is onto and

the vectors u1 , u2 , . . . , uk span Rm , then show that the vectors T (u1 ), T (u2 ), . . . , T (uk ) span Rn .

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Important Textbook Problems:

Section 3.1: 9-10, 21-28
Section 3.2: 11-14, 45, 47
Section 3.3: 5-21, 23, 26, 41, 47, 49, 56, 58, 59, 63-65
Chapter 4: Subspaces
Sections on Final Exam: 4.1, 4.2, 4.3
Keywords: subspace, null space, kernel of a linear transformation, range of a linear transformation, basis,
dimension, row space, column space, rank, nullity
What are some general approaches for showing that a subset S of Rn is a subspace? What are some
approaches for showing S is not a subspace?
Let u1 , u2 , . . . , un be n vectors in Rn (so the number of vectors equals the dimension of Rn ). In this
special case, the condition that {u1 , u2 , . . . , un } is a basis of Rn is equivalent to some other conditions.
What are these other conditions?
Let S be an m-dimensional subspace of Rn , and let u1 , u2 , . . . , um be m vectors in S (so the number
of vectors equals the dimension of S). In this special case, the condition that {u1 , u2 , . . . , um } is a
basis of S is equivalent to some other conditions. What are these other conditions?
Problems:

x1

8(a). Determine whether S = x2 R3 : x1 x2 x3 = 0 is a subspace of R3 . Justify your answer.

x3

x1

x
2
4

8(b). Determine whether S = R : x1 x2 + 5x3 = 0 and x1 + 2x2 x4 = 0 is a subspace of R4 .

x3

x4
Justify your answer.

9. Consider the subspace

2
1
2
1

2
3
3
1
, , ,
S = span
4 3 3 1

1
3
3
4
of R4 .
(a) Find two different bases of S.
(b) Find dim(S).

10. In each of (i) and (ii) from Problem 3, determine whether the set of vectors is a basis of R3 .

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11. Consider the matrix

1
A = 2
1

5
10
5

3
7 .
2

(a) Find bases of row(A) and col(A).

(b) Find rank(A).
(c) Find a basis of null(A).
(d) Find nullity(A).

12. Let A be an invertible n n matrix and let u1 , u2 , . . . , um be vectors in Rn . If A is invertible and the
vectors u1 , u2 , . . . , um span Rn , then show that the vectors Au1 , Au2 , . . . , Aum span Rn .
Important Textbook Problems:
Section 4.1: 45-51, 57, 63
Section 4.2: 5-161 , 42, 59
Section 4.3: 1-9, 13, 14, 17-20, 33-34, 43, 45, 56, 60(a)
Chapter 5: Determinants
Sections on Final Exam: 5.1, 5.2
Keywords: determinant
How can we use det(A) to determine whether an n n matrix A is invertible?
What happens when we take the determinant of a product of n n matrices? What happens when we
take the determinant of the transpose of an nn matrix? What happens when we take the determinant
of a triangular matrix?
How do the usual row operations affect the determinant of an n n matrix?
Problems:
13. Consider

1
3
(i) A =
1
0

1
(ii) A = 2
3

the following matrices.

0 0 2
2 0 1

2 4 8
3 0 1

4 3
10 1
14 4

(a) In each of (i) and (ii), find det(A).

(b) In each of (i) and (ii), use your answer to part (a) to determine whether A is invertible.
1 Try

using one strategy for 5-10, and then use a different one for 11-16.

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a
14. For what value(s) of a is the matrix A = 0
0

a2
a1
0

a3
(a 1)2 invertible?
a+1

15. If A is an invertible n n matrix, then show that det(AT A) > 0.

Important Textbook Problems:
Section 5.1: 11-182 , 71, 76
Section 5.2: 1-6, 15-18, 23-26, 47, 53, 55
Chapter 6: Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors
Sections on Final Exam: 6.1, 6.4
Keywords: eigenvalue, eigenspace, eigenvector, characteristic polynomial, diagonalizable matrix
Why are the eigenvalues of an n n matrix precisely the real roots of the characteristic polynomial
pA ()?
Let A be an n n matrix and let c be an eigenvalue. What is the relationship between the dimension
of the eigenspace Ec and the multiplicity of c as a root of the characteristic polynomial pA ()?
If we know the eigenvalues of an n n matrix A, then how can we determine whether A is invertible?
An n n matrix A is diagonalizable if and only if A is related to a diagonal matrix in a precise way.
What is this precise way?
Problems:
16. Consider the following matrices.

1 6
6
(i) A = 0 2 2
0 0
0

0 4 9
(ii) A = 0 1 1
0 0 1

2 1 0
(iii) A = 2 1 0
1 1 1
(a) In each of (i), (ii), and (iii), find the characteristic polynomial pA () and the eigenvalues of A.
(b) In each of (i), (ii), and (iii), find a basis of each eigenspace of A.
(c) In each of (i), (ii), and (iii), determine whether A is diagonalizable. If it is diagonalizable, then find
an invertible 3 3 matrix P and a diagonal 3 3 matrix D such that A = P DP 1 .
17. Let A be an n n matrix and let be an eigenvalue of A. If x E , then show that Ax E .
18. Let A be an n n matrix. If A is diagonalizable, then show that AT is diagonalizable. (Hint: Write
A in terms of P and D.)
2 Use

any method of your choice.

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Important Textbook Problems:

Section 6.1: 1-6, 21-30, 49-50, 59, 64
Section 6.4: 38, 40
Chapter 8: Orthogonality
Sections on Final Exam: 8.1
NOTE: I would suggest that you not attempt any of these problems until your instructor has covered
Section 8.1 in lecture.
Keywords: dot product, norm, orthogonal vectors, orthogonal complement
How can we write the dot product of two vectors using the transpose operation?
Let u1 , u2 , . . . , um be vectors in Rn . How can we find a basis of the orthogonal complement of
S = span{u1 , u2 , . . . , um }?
Problems:

c
c
19. For what value(s) of c are the vectors 4 and c orthogonal?
3
1

2
1
20. Let S = span 1 , 1 . Find a basis of the orthogonal complement S .

0
0
Important Textbook Problems:
Section 8.1: 1-4, 7-12, 29-32, 65

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