Prelims Linear Algebra, MT 2012

Sheet 6 (for tutorials in week 8)

Qu. 1 Let U, V, W be vector spaces over R. Assume that T and

T are linear transfor-
mations from U to V , and S is a linear transformation from V to W.
(a) Check that the sum T +

T : U V and the composition S T : U W are linear.
[Note that S T is often written ST.]
(b) Show that if the inverse map S
1
of S exists, then it is linear.
Qu. 2 Describe the kernel and image of each of the following linear transformations,
and in each case nd the rank and the nullity.
(a) T : R
4
R
3
is given by T(X) = AX for X a column vector in R
4
, where A is the
matrix

1 1 1 1
1 2 1 1
0 3 2 0

.
(b) V = M
n
(R), and T : V R is given by T(A) = tr(A) =

n
i=1
a
ii
for A = [a
ij
] V .
Qu. 3 Let V = R
n
[X], the vector space of polynomials of degree n, with basis
B = {1, X, X
2
, . . . , X
n
}. Dene D : V V be dierentiation with respect to X.
(a) Check that D is linear.
(b) Find the matrix of D with respect to the basis B ordered as above.
(c) Find the rank and the nullity of D.
Qu. 4 Suppose that S, T : V V are linear transformations of a nite-dimensional
vector space V , and suppose that the composition ST : V V is invertible. Show that
then T is one-to-one, and deduce that T is invertible. Show also that S is invertible.
Deduce that ST is invertible if and only if TS is invertible.
Qu. 5 Let V be an n-dimensional vector space. If T : V V is a linear transformation,
prove that the following statements are equivalent:
(a) im(T) = ker(T); (b) T
2
= 0, n is even and r(T) =
1
2
n.
Qu. 6 Let V be a nite-dimensional vector space over R, and let S and T be linear
transformations from V to V .
(i) Show that im(S +T) im(S) + im(T). Deduce that r(S +T) r(S) + r(T).
(ii) Show that n(ST) n(S) + n(T). [Consider the restriction of S to W where W =
im(T).]