Math 304 Answers to Selected Problems

1 Section 4.2
5. Find the standard matrix representations for each of the following linear
operators.

(a) L is the linear operator that rotates each x in R2 by 45 in the

clockwise direction.
(b) L is the linear operator that reflects each x in R2 about the x1
axis and then rotates it 90 in the counterclockwise direction.
(c) L doubles the length of x and then rotates it 30 in the counter-
clockwise direction.
(d) L reflects each vector x about the line x2 = x1 and then projects
it onto the x1 axis.

Answer: For each of these, we will apply L to the standard basis vec-
tors. The resulting vectors are the columns of the matrix representing
the linear operator with respect to the standard basis.

(a)
  
1/2
1
L =
0
1/ 2
   
0 1/2
L =
1 1/ 2

 
1/2 1/2
Thus, the matrix is .
1/ 2 1/ 2
(b)
   
1 0
L =
0 1
   
0 1
L =
1 0

1
  
0 1
Thus, the matrix is .
1 0
(c)
   
1
3
L =
0
1
   
0 1

L =
1 3

 
1
3
Thus, the matrix is .
1 3
(d)
   
1 0
L =
0 0
   
0 1
L =
1 0

 
0 1
Thus, the matrix is .
0 0

14. The linear transformation L is defined by

L (p(x)) = p0 (x) + p(0)

maps P3 into P2 . Find the matrix representation of L with respect

to the ordered bases [x2 , x, 1] and [2, 1 x]. For each of the following
vectors in p(x) in P3 , find the coordinates of L (p(x)) with respect to
the ordered basis [2, 1 x].

(a) x2 + 2x 3
(d) 4x2 + 2x

Answer: First, we find the matrix representing L with respect to the

two given bases. To do this, we apply L to each of the polynomials in
the first basis:

2
 L(x2 ) = 2x
L(x) = 1
L(1) = 1

Next, we find the coordinates for each of the above polynomials in the
second basis. In this case, we can find the coordinates by inspection.

2x = 1(2) 2(1 x)
1
1 = (2) + 0(1 x)
2

 
1
Thus, in basis [2, 1 x], the polynomial 2x is , and the poly-
  2
.5
nomial 1 is .
0
Thus, the matrix representation of L with respect to the given matrices
is
 
1 .5 .5
2 0 0

Now, we can use this matrix in parts (a) and (d). We just find the
coordinates of the given polynomials with respect to the basis [x2 , x, 1],
and then we multiply by the above matrix.

  1  
1 .5 .5 .5
(a) 2 =
2 0 0 2
3

  4  
1 .5 .5 2 = 5
(d)
2 0 0 8
0

3
15. Let S be the subspace of C[a, b] spanned by ex , xex , and x2 ex . Let D
be the differentiation operator of S. Find the matrix representing D
with respect to [ex , xex , x2 ex ].
Answer: To find the matrix representing D with respect to this basis,
we start by applying D to each basis vector:

D(ex ) = ex
D(xex ) = xex + ex
D(x2 ex ) = x2 ex + 2xex

1
In the given basis, ex corresponds to the vector 0 , xex + ex corre-
0
1
sponds to the vector 1 , and x2 ex + 2xex corresponds to the vector
0
0
2 . Thus, the matrix representing D is
1

1 1 0
0 1 2
0 0 1

18. Let E = [u1 , u2 , u3 ] and F = [b1 , b2 ], where

u1 = (1, 0, 1)T , u2 = (1, 2, 1)T , u3 = (1, 1, 1)T

and

b1 = (1, 1)T , b2 = (2, 1)T

For each of the following linear transformations L from R3 into R2 , find

the matrix representing L with respect to the ordered bases E and F .

(a) L(x) = (x3 , x1 )T

4
(c) L(x) = (2x2 , x1 )T

Answer:

(a) First, we apply L to each of the vectors in the basis E:

 
1
L(u1 ) =
1
 
1
L(u2 ) =
1
 
1
L(u3 ) =
1

Next, we change each of these vectors into the basis F . To do this,

we find the transition matrix that converts from the standard
basis to F . The transition
 matrix that converts from F to the
1 2
standard basis is S = . The transition matrix from
1 1  
1 1 2
the standard basis to F is the S = . Thus,
1 1
      
1 1 2 1 1
= =
1 F
1 1 1 0
      
1 1 2 1 3
= =
1 F
1 1 1 2
      
1 1 2 1 1
= =
1 F
1 1 1 0

Thus, the matrix representing L with respect to the bases E and

F is
 
1 3 1
0 2 0
(c) First, we apply L to each of the vectors in the basis E:

5
  
0
L(u1 ) =
1
 
4
L(u2 ) =
1
 
2
L(u3 ) =
1

Next, we change each of these vectors into the basis F by multi-

plying by the transition matrix found in part (a):

      
0 1 2 0 2
= =
1 F
1 1 1 1
      
4 1 2 4 2
= =
1 F
1 1 1 3
      
2 1 2 2 4
= =
1 F
1 1 1 3

Thus, the matrix representing L with respect to the bases E and

F is
 
2 2 4
1 3 3