A Singular Matrix and Matrix Equations $A\mathbf{x}=\mathbf{e}_i$ With Unit Vectors
Problem 561
Let $A$ be a singular $n\times n$ matrix.
Let
\[\mathbf{e}_1=\begin{bmatrix}
1 \\
0 \\
\vdots \\
0
\end{bmatrix}, \mathbf{e}_2=\begin{bmatrix}
0 \\
1 \\
\vdots \\
0
\end{bmatrix}, \dots, \mathbf{e}_n=\begin{bmatrix}
0 \\
0 \\
\vdots \\
1
\end{bmatrix}\]
be unit vectors in $\R^n$.
Prove that at least one of the following matrix equations
\[A\mathbf{x}=\mathbf{e}_i\]
for $i=1,2,\dots, n$, must have no solution $\mathbf{x}\in \R^n$.
Assume on the contrary that each matrix equation $A\mathbf{x}=\mathbf{e}_i$ has a solution.
Let $\mathbf{b}_i\in \R^n$ be a solution of $A\mathbf{x}=\mathbf{e}_i$ for each $i=1, \dots, n$.
That is, we have
\[A\mathbf{b}_i=\mathbf{e}_i.\]
Let $B=[\mathbf{b}_1, \mathbf{b}_2, \dots, \mathbf{b}_n]$ be the $n\times n$ matrix whose $i$-th column vector is $\mathbf{b}_i$.
Then we have
\begin{align*}
AB&=A[\mathbf{b}_1, \mathbf{b}_2, \dots, \mathbf{b}_n]\\[6pt]
&=[A\mathbf{b}_1, A\mathbf{b}_2, \dots, A\mathbf{b}_n]\\[6pt]
&=[\mathbf{e}_1, \mathbf{e}_2, \dots, \mathbf{e}_n]=I,
\end{align*}
where $I$ is the $n\times n$ identity matrix.
Since $I$ is the nonsingular matrix, the matrix $A$ must also be nonsingular.
However this contradicts the assumption that $A$ is singular.
It follows that at least one of the matrix equations $A\mathbf{x}=\mathbf{e}_i$ has no solution.
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Determine conditions on the scalars $a, b$ so that the following set $S$ of vectors is linearly dependent.
\begin{align*}
S=\{\mathbf{v}_1, \mathbf{v}_2, \mathbf{v}_3\},
\end{align*}
where
\[\mathbf{v}_1=\begin{bmatrix}
1 \\
3 \\
1
\end{bmatrix}, […]
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Let $A$ be an $n\times n$ matrix. Suppose that the sum of elements in each row of $A$ is zero.
Then prove that the matrix $A$ is singular.
Definition.
An $n\times n$ matrix $A$ is said to be singular if there exists a nonzero vector $\mathbf{v}$ such that […]
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Let $A$ be a $3 \times 3$ matrix.
Let $\mathbf{x}, \mathbf{y}, \mathbf{z}$ are linearly independent $3$-dimensional vectors. Suppose that we have
\[A\mathbf{x}=\begin{bmatrix}
1 \\
0 \\
1
\end{bmatrix}, A\mathbf{y}=\begin{bmatrix}
0 \\
1 \\
0
[…]
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Suppose that an $n \times m$ matrix $M$ is composed of the column vectors $\mathbf{b}_1 , \cdots , \mathbf{b}_m$.
Prove that a vector $\mathbf{v} \in \R^n$ can be written as a linear combination of the column vectors if and only if there is a vector $\mathbf{x}$ which solves the […]
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Suppose that $A$ is an $n\times n$ singular matrix.
Prove that for sufficiently small $\epsilon>0$, the matrix $A-\epsilon I$ is nonsingular, where $I$ is the $n \times n$ identity matrix.
Hint.
Consider the characteristic polynomial $p(t)$ of the matrix $A$.
Note […]
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(a) Let $\mathbf{u}$ be a vector in $\R^n$ with length $1$.
Define the matrix $P$ to be $P=\mathbf{u}\mathbf{u}^{\trans}$.
Prove that $P$ is an idempotent matrix.
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