NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

Department of Mathematics
Advanced Placement Test − Linear Algebra

June/July 2009 Time Allowed: 2 hours

INSTRUCTIONS

1. This paper contains a total of SIX (6) questions and comprises THIRTEEN (13)
printed pages, including this page.

2. Answer ALL questions within the space provided.

3. Please write your name, mailing address, contact number, e-mail and matriculation
number (if available) clearly below.

Name

Mailing Address in Singapore

Contact Number in Singapore

e-mail

Matriculation Number (if available)

 Advanced Placement Test − Linear Algebra

1. Let A be an n × n real matrix such that AB = BA for all n × n real matrices B. Prove
that A = aIn for some real number a, where In is the n × n identity matrix.
[16 marks]

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 Advanced Placement Test − Linear Algebra

(More space for solution to Question 1.)

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 Advanced Placement Test − Linear Algebra

2. Let B be an n × n invertible real matrix, where n ≥ 2.

If C = adj(adj(B −1 )), find det(BC) in terms of det(B), justifying your answer.

(Notation: For an n × n real matrix M , the adjoint of M is denoted by adj(M ).)

[16 marks]

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 Advanced Placement Test − Linear Algebra

(More space for solution to Question 2.)

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 Advanced Placement Test − Linear Algebra

3. Suppose h−, −i is an inner product on Rn . Let {e1 , e2 , . . . , em } be a set of orthonormal

vectors in Rn , with m ≤ n. If v is in Rn , prove that

hv, vi = |hv, e1 i|2 + |hv, e2 i|2 + · · · + |hv, em i|2

if and only if v is a linear combination of e1 , e2 , . . . , em .

[17 marks]

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 Advanced Placement Test − Linear Algebra

(More space for solution to Question 3.)

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 Advanced Placement Test − Linear Algebra

 
1 p q
4. Let A =  0 0 r , where p, q and r are real constants. Find a necessary and
0 0 1
sufficient condition on p, q and r such that A is diagonalizable.
[17 marks]

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 Advanced Placement Test − Linear Algebra

(More space for solution to Question 4.)

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 Advanced Placement Test − Linear Algebra

5. Let P be an n × n real matrix such that P 2 = P . Prove that every vector v in Rn can
be expressed uniquely as
v = u + w,
where u is in the nullspace of P , and w is in the range of P .
[17 marks]

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 Advanced Placement Test − Linear Algebra

(More space for solution to Question 5.)

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 Advanced Placement Test − Linear Algebra

6. Suppose T is a real linear operator on Rn which does not have any real eigenvalues. If
U is a subspace of Rn such that T (U ) ⊆ U , prove that the dimension of U is even.
[17 marks]

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 Advanced Placement Test − Linear Algebra

(More space for solution to Question 6.)

End of Test

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