Department of Mathematics, University of Toronto

MAT223H1F - Linear Algebra I

Fall 2014
Midterm Exam II Review Sheet

Suggestions for Review

Before solving the problems on this review sheet, I suggest that you carefully review your course notes,
tutorial problems, and quizzes. Some problems from the textbook will also be extremely useful for practicing.
On this review sheet, I have provided a list of the textbook problems from each of Sections 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2,
and 4.3 that I believe to be the most important ones for you to solve when studying.
It is absolutely essential that you remember the precise statements of definitions, theorems, propositions,
lemmas, corollaries, etc. from lecture. We will ask you about some of these on the midterm. Secondly, a
knowledge of these statements will help to guide your reasoning when solving computational problems, and
they will be particularly helpful on the proof-style question.
This review sheet may not cover every idea you need to master, but it is intended to help reinforce some
of the main themes developed during lecture and tutorials.
Please do not hesitate to ask for help at any time.
I hope this is helpful, and I want to wish everyone the best of luck!
Chapter 3: Matrices
Keywords: matrix addition, scalar multiplication, matrix multiplication, composition of linear transformations, n n identity matrix, transpose of a matrix, invertible matrix, inverse of a matrix, invertible linear
transformation, inverse of a linear transformation
When does it make sense to add two matrices A and B? When does it make sense to multiply them?
What is the relationship between matrix multiplication and the composition of linear transformations?
What are some ways in which matrix multiplication does not behave like the multiplication of real
numbers?
We have a formal definition of what it means for a matrix to be invertible, but we have discussed some
conditions that are equivalent to being invertible. What are some of these conditions?
What is the relationship between invertible matrices and invertible linear transformations?
Problems:






2 3
0 1 5
1 4 1
1. Suppose that A =
,B=
, and C =
. Find each of the following if
1 5
1 2 4
2 3 1
it makes sense. If it does not make sense, then write that it does not make sense.
(i) A + B
(ii) AB
(iii) CA
(iv) C T + B T
2. Determine whether each of the following matrices A is invertible. If A is invertible, then find A1 .

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1
2
3
3
10
(i) A = 2
1 1 8

1 3 4
(ii) A = 0 2 1
2 8 9
3. Find all values of a for which the matrix

1
A = 4
1

4
2
17 a + 6
4
a

is invertible.
4. Let T : R3 R3 be the linear transformation defined by

x1
x1 + 3x3
T x2 = x2 2x3 .
x3
2x1 + 5x3

x1
Is T invertible? If yes, then find a formula for T 1 x2 . If it is not invertible, explain why it is
x3
not invertible.
5. Let A be an invertible n n matrix, let B an invertible m m matrix, and let C and D be n n
matrices. Suppose that A1 C T B = D. Show that C = (ADB 1 )T .
6. Let A and B be n n matrices such that AB is invertible. Prove that B is also invertible. [Hint:
Remember that B is invertible if and only if Bx = 0 has only the trivial solution x = 0. So, one
strategy is to show that Bx = 0 has only the trivial solution.]
Important Textbook Problems:
Section 3.2: 11-14, 31-34, 37, 45, 47
Section 3.3: 5-21, 23, 26, 41, 47, 49, 56, 58, 59, 63-65
Chapter 4: Subspaces
Keywords: subspace, null space, kernel of a linear transformation, range of a linear transformation, basis,
dimension, row space, column space, rank, nullity
What are some general approaches for showing that a subset S of Rn is a subspace? What are some
approaches for showing S is not a subspace?
Let u1 , u2 , . . . , un be n vectors in Rn (so the number of vectors equals the dimension of Rn ). In this
special case, the condition that {u1 , u2 , . . . , un } is a basis of Rn is equivalent to some other conditions.
What are these other conditions?
Let S be an m-dimensional subspace of Rn , and let u1 , u2 , . . . , um be m vectors in S (so the number of
vectors equals the dimension of S). In this special case, the condition that {u1 , u2 , . . . , um } is a basis
of S is equivalent to some other conditions. What are these other conditions?
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Problems:
7(a).

7(b).

7(c).

7(d).

x1

Determine whether S = x2 R3 : 8x1 3x2 = 0 and x2 x3 = 0 is a subspace of R3 . Justify

x3
your answer.

x1

x
2
4
2

Determine whether S = R : (x1 + x2 ) = 4 and x3 x4 = 0 is a subspace of R4 . Justify

x3

x4
your answer.

x1

x
2
4

Determine whether S = R : x1 + x2 = 1 is a subspace of R4 . Justify your answer.

x3

x4
 

x1
Determine whether S =
R2 : x1 = 0 is a subspace of R2 . Justify your answer.
x2

8. Consider the subspace

1
0
0

3 4 7 1
, , ,
S = span
2 0 1

2
5
7
2
of R4 .
(a). Find two different bases of S.
(b). Find dim(S).
9. Consider the matrix

1
A = 1
1

2
2
2

0 0
1 4 .
2 8

(a). Find bases of row(A) and col(A) and find rank(A).

(b). Find a basis of null(A) and find nullity(A).
(c). Use part (a) and the Rank-Nullity Theorem to find nullity(A).



2
4
2
4

1
2
1 2

(d). The vectors and are in null(A). Is , a basis of null(A)? Justify your
4
12
4
12

1
3
1
3
answer.
10. Consider the matrix

1
A = 1
0

0
2
4

(a). Find all values of a for which rank(A) = 3.

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a
1 .
3a 5

(b). Find all values of a for which rank(A) = 2.

11. Let A and B be n n matrices. If x null(A) and x null(B), then prove that x null(A + B).
12. Let A be an invertible nn matrix and let {u1 , u2 , . . . , un } be a basis of Rn . Prove that {Au1 , Au2 , . . . , Aun }
is a basis of Rn .
Important Textbook Problems:
Section 4.1: 37, 41-42, 45-51, 57, 63
Section 4.2: 5-161 , 33, 42, 50, 59
Section 4.3: 1-9, 13, 14, 17-20, 33, 34, 35, 37, 39, 43, 45, 56, 60(a)

1 Try

using one strategy for 5-10, and then use a different one for 11-16.

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