MT210 MIDTERM 1 SAMPLE 2

ILKER S. YUCE
FEBRUARY 19, 2011

QUESTION 1. SYSTEMS OF LINEAR EQUATIONS

The augmented matrix of a linear system has the form
[
]
a
1 1
2 a1 1
Determine the values of a for which the linear system is consistent.

ANSWER
We apply row-reduction algorithm to the augmented matrix corresponding to the system given above:
Assume that a = 0, then we get
[
]
[
]
a
1
1
a
1
1 (2/a)R1 +R2/ R2
.
2 a1 1
0 a 1 a2 1 a2
By Theorem 2, we know that the system above is consistent if and only if there is no row of the form
[0 0 1]. Therefore, we must have either a 1 a2 = 0 or we must have a 1 a2 = 0 and 1 a2 = 0. Let
us solve the equation a 1 a2 = 0 or (a + 1)(a 2) = 0 or a = 1 or a = 2.
We need to examine the case a = 0. If a = 0, then we have x2 = 1 and x1 = 1. So, the system is
consistent. Note that the case a = 2 also gives a consistent system. Finally, we conclude that the system
above is consistent if and only if a = 1.

QUESTION 2. ROW REDUCTION AND ECHELON FORMS

Write the augmented matrix corresponding the system below:
x1
2x1
x1

6x2
10x2
+
6x2

4x3
9x3
+ 5x3

= 5
= 4
= 3.

Solve the system by applying the row reduction algorithm. If the system is consistent, find the general
solution set.

ANSWER
The augmented matrix corresponding to the given system is

1
6 4 5
2 10 9 4 .
1
6
5
3
We need to reduce the augmented matrix

1
6 4 5
1 6 4 5
2R1 +R2 R2
/
2 10 9 4
0
2 1
6
R1 +R3 R3
1
6
5
3
0
0
1 2

1
1 0 7 13
7R3 +R1 R1
/ 0
0 2
0
4
(1/2)R2 R2
0
0 0
1 2

x1 = 1
x2 = 2
G.S. =

x3 = 2

3R2 +R1 R1
R3 +R2 R2

0
1
0

0 1
0
2
1 2

1
0
0

0
2
0

7 13
0
4
1 2

QUESTION 3. VECTOR EQUATIONS

Determine if b is a linear combination of the vectors a1 , a2 , and a3 where

2
1
1
3
3
6
1
17

a1 =
4 , a2 = 1 , a3 = 2 , b = 17
1
2
3
7

If b is a linear combination of the vectors a1 , a2 , and a3 , express b as a linear combination of the vectors
a1 , a1 , and a1 .

ANSWER
We need to solve the vector equation x1 a1 + x2 a2 + x3 a3 = 0:

2
1 1
3
0 3
7 11
0
3
2R4 +R1 R1 ,3R4 +R2 R2 0 12
3R1 +R3 R3 0
6
1
17
8
4

/
4 1
0 9 10 11 4R1 +R2 R2 0
4R4 +R3 R3
2
17
1
2
3
7
1
2
3
7
1

0 3
7 11
0 3 27 51
0
R2 +R1 R1 ,(1/2)R2 R2 0
(1/3)R1 R1 0
0
0
20
40
0
1
2

0
0
(1/2)R3 R3
0
11
22
0
1
2 R3 +R2 R2 0
1
2
3
7
1
2
3
7
1

0 1 9 17
0 1 0 1
0 1
0 0 0
2R1 +R4 R1 0 0 0
2R1 +R4 R4 ,3R3 +R4 R4 0 0
0
0

/
0 0 1
0 0
R3 +R2 R2
2 9R3 +R1 R1 0 0 1
2
1 2 3
7
1 2 3
7
1 0

x1 = 3
x2 = 1
G.S. =

x3 = 2
Finally, we see that 3 a1 1 a2 + 2 a3 = b.

3
7
0 20
0
11
2
3
1
0
0
2

9
0
1
3

11
40

22
7

17
0

2
7

0 1
0
0

1
2
0
3

QUESTION 4. THE MATRIX EQUATION Ax=b

A.) Write the given matrix equation below as system of linear equations:

1
1
1
x1
1
1 1 2 x2 = 5 .
2
0 4
x3
5

ANSWER
x1
x1
2x1

+ x2
x2
+

+
x3
2x3
4x3

=
1
= 5
=
5

B.) Solve the system and write the general solution.

ANSWER
We need to reduce the augmented matrix that represents the given system (Ill leave the details to you)

1
1
1
1
1 0 0 7/2
1 1 2 5 0 1 0 15/2
2
0 4
5
0 0 1
3
,

x1 = 7/2
x2 = 15/2
G.S. =

x3 = 3

QUESTION 5. SOLUTION SETS OF LINEAR SYSTEMS

A. Solve the nonhomogeneous system Ax=b and write the solution in parametric vector form where

2 1 1
1
A = 1 2 3 and b = 0 .
1 2 4
0

ANSWER

2 1
1 2
1 2

1 1
0 3
5 1
R2 +R3 R3
/
1
3
0
2 3
0
2R2 +R1 R1
4
0
0
4 7
0

0 0 1 4
2R3 +R2 R2
/
1 2 3
0
2R1 +R3 R3 ,R1 +R2 R2
0 1 2 1

x1 = 2
x2 = 7
G.S. =

x3 = 4

R1 +R3 R3
3R3 +R1 R1

0
1
0

0
0
1

0
1
0

0 1 4
2 3
0
1 2 1

1 4
0 2
0
7

B. Using the parametric vector form of the solution set in part A., determine a particular solution p.

ANSWER

2
We see that p = 7 is a particular solution.
4

C. Write the general solution for the system Ax = 0 in parametric vector form.

ANSWER
The parametric vector form of homogeneous part of the general solution set is

0
vh = 0

QUESTION 6. LINEAR INDEPENDENCE

Find the value(s) of h for which the following set of vectors

1
h
1

2h
v = 0 , v2 = 1 , v3 =

1
0
h
3h + 1
is linearly independent.

ANSWER
We need to solve the homogeneous system x1 v1 + x2 v2 + x3 v3 = 0:

1 h
1 0
1
h
1 0
hR2 +R3 R3
/ 0 1
0
2h 0
1
2h 0
0 h 3h + 1 0
0 0 2h2 + 3h + 1 0
Since we want the given vectors to be linearly independent, we have to have ONLY the trivial solution.
In other words, we have to have 2h2 + 3h + 1 = 0. Let us solve the equation 2h2 + 3h + 1 = 0 or
(2h + 1)(h + 1) = 0. We get h = 1/2 or h = 1. As a conclusion, , {
v1 , v2 , v3 , } is linearly independent if
and only if h = 1/2 and h = 1.