The rank of a Matrix and Application

Definition. Let

be an

matrix.

The rows of

considered as vectors in

span a subspace of called the row space of

Similarly, the columns of

[

considered as vectors in

span a subspace of called the column space of

Definition. An elementary row operation on

following operations:
a) Interchange rows and of
and
b) Multiply row of

by

matrix

is any of the

That is , replace
by

by

. That is , replace

by

c) Add

times row of
by

to row of

That is , replace

Equivalence
Whenever B can be derived from A by a combination of elementary
row and column operations, we write A ~ B, and we say that A
and B are equivalent matrices. We can say that
A ~ B PAQ = B for nonsingular P and Q.
Whenever B can be obtained from A by performing a sequence
of elementary row operations only, we say that A and B are row equivalent.
Whenever B can be obtained from A by performing a sequence of
column operations only, we say that A and B are column equivalent.
[

Example. Let
If we add 2 times row 3 of

].

to its second row, we obtain

[

so B is row equivalent A.
Theorem 1. If and
and are equal.

Example 1. Let

are two

row equivalent matrices, then row spaces

, where
,

and

be subspace of

given by

. Find a basis for

Solution. Note that

vectors

is the row space of the matrix

whose rows are given

Using elementary row operations, we have

The row spaces and

the nonzero rows of .

are equal, and basis for the row spaces

consists of

Hence
,
form a basis for
Definition. The dimension of the row space of
and the dimension of the column space of

is called the row rank of

is called the column rank of

Theorem 2. The row rank and the column rank of the matrix

are equal.

Definition. Since row rank

matrix and write rank

= column rank

, now merely refer to the rank of

Remark. A matrix is said to be in row echelon form (reduced row echelon form ) if
the following requirements are met:
1. All zero rows are at the bottom of the matrix.
2. If one nonzero row comes after another nonzero row then its first nonzero
entry (called the leading term) is on the right side of the leading term of
that another row. In other words the increase of order number of row results
in shifting the leading term to the right.
( respectively, if in addition all leading terms are 1 and every column that
contains a leading 1 has no other nonzero entries.)
Example. Which of the following matrices are in row echelon form (reduced row
echelon form)?
[

], [

], [

], [
], [

],
]

The procedure for computing the rank of the matrix

is as follows.

Step 1. Using elementary row operations, transform A to a matrix B in row echelon

form.
Step 2. Rank

= the number of nonzero rows of B.

[

Example 3. Let
Theorem 3. An

matrix

]. Compute rank
is nonsingular if and only if rank

]. Then | |

Example 4. Let

is nonsingular . Rank
Corollary 1. If

because

is

Corollary 2. Let
solution for every

be

|=
[

that is

].

if and only if | |

matrix, then rank

matrix. The linear system
matrix if and only if rank

has unique

Corollary 3. The homogeneous system

of
linear equations in
unknowns has nontrivial solution if and only if rank
Theorem 4. The linear system
has a solution if and only if rank =
] where [
] stands for the matrix whose obtained from by
rank [
joining to it column from the right.
The matrix [

] is called the augmented matrix for the system

Example 5. Consider the linear system

{

or [

[
[

] and [

][ ]

rank

. Therefore, the linear system has a solution.

Example 6. Consider the linear system

[

][ ]

[ ]

rank

[ ]

and

solution.

. Therefore, the linear system has no