LINEAR ALGEBRA (MTS4 B04) CORE COURSE - BSc MATHEMATICS

IV SEMESTER
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. If A and B are square matrices of the same order, then
tr(AB) =
A. tr(A + B)
B. tr(A)tr(B)
C. tr(BA)
D. tr(A) + tr(B)

2. If A and B are square matrices of the same order, then

(AB)T =
A. AT B T
B. B T AT
C. AT + B T
D. (BA)T

3. If A and B are symmetric matrices of same order, then

A. AB is always symmetric
B. AB is never symmetric
C. AB is skew-symmetric
D. AB is symmetric if and only if AB = BA

4. For all sqaure matrices A and B, is it true that det(A+B) =

det(A) + det(B)
A. True
B. False
C. Cannot be determined

5. A matrix that is both symmetric and upper triangular must

be a
A. diagonal matrix
B. non-diagonal but symmetric
C. both A and B
D. none of the above
 2

6. If A and B are invertible matrices with the same size, then

AB is invertible and (AB)−1 =
A. A−1 B −1
B. B −1 A−1
C. both A and B
D. none of the above
7. A matrix E is called . . . if it can be obtained from an iden-
tity matrix by performing a single elementary row opera-
tion.
A. equivalent matrix
B. echelon matrix
C. elementary matrix
D. row reduced matrix
8. Let A be an n × n matrix, and A is invertible. Then which
of the following statement is equivalent:
A. Ax = 0 has only the trivial solution.
B. A cannot be expressed as a product of elementary ma-
trices.
C. Ax = b is inconsistent for every n × 1 matrix b.
D. Ax = b has more than one solution for every n × 1
matrix b
9. A homogeneous linear system in n unknowns whose cor-
responding augmented matrix has a reduced row echelon
form with r leading 1’s has
A. n free variables
B. n - r free variables
C. r free variables
D. cannot be determined
10. A linear system is called consistent if it has
A. infinitely many solutions
B. no solution
 3

C. at least one solution

D. none of the above

11. A consistent linear system of two equations in two un-

knowns has
A. exactly one solution
B. infinitely many solutions
C. exactly two solutions
D. either A or B

12. Which of the following matrices is in reduced row echelon

form.
 
1 0 0
A. 0 1 0
 0 0 1
1 1 0
B. 0 1 0

0 0 0
C. both A and B
D. none

13. If TA : Rn → Rm and TB : Rn → Rm are matrix transforma-

tions, and if TA (x) = TB (x) for every vector x in Rn , then
A. A and B are equivalent but not equal
B. A and B are equal
C. A and B cannot be equal
D. cannot be determined

14. If S = {v1 , v2 , . . . , vn } is a set of vectors in a finite-

dimensional vector space V , then S is called a basis for V
if:
A. S spans V
B. S is linearly independent
C. either A or B
D. both A and B
 4

15. If A is an n × n matrix that is not invertible, then the linear

system Ax = 0 has
A. infinitely many solutions
B. exactly one solution
C. not possible to find solution
D. finitely many solutions

16. Let A be an n × n matrix. The linear system Ax = 4x has

a unique solution if and only if . . . is an invertible matrix.
A. A
B. A + 4I
C. A − 4I
D. 4A

17. If A is an m × n matrix, then the codomain of the trans-

formation TA is
A. Rn
B. Rm+n
C. Rmn
D. Rm

18. If TA : Rn → Rn and if TA (x) = 0 for every vector x in Rn ,

then A is
A. the n × n zero matrix
B. the n × n identity matrix
C. an elementary matrix
D. cannot be determined

19. Does the vectors v1 = (−3, 7) and v2 = (5, 5) form a basis

for R2 ?
A. Data not complete
B. No
C. Yes
D. Not in R2
 5

20. Are the vectors v1 = (2, 0, −1), v2 = (4, 0, 7), and v3 =

(−1, 1, 4) linearly independent in R3 ?
A. linearly dependent
B. linearly independent
C. Data not complete
D. none of the above

21. If W is a subspace of a finite-dimensional vector space V,

then
A. dim(W) = dim(V) always
B. dim(W) ≥ dim(V)
C. dim(W) ≤ dim(V)
D. none of the above

22. Let A be an n × n matrix. The characteristic polynomial

of A is a polynomial of degree
A. n+1
B. can be greater than n
C. can be less than n
D. n always

23. A n × n matrix has

A. at most n distinct eigenvalues
B. at least n distinct eigenvalues
C. exactly n distinct eigenvalues
D. exactly n+1 distinct eigenvalues

24. Let λ is an eigenvalue of a n × n matrix A.

A. The system of equations (λI + A)x = 0 has only trivial
solutions.
B. The system of equations (λI - A)x = 0 has only trivial
solutions.
C. The system of equations (λI + A)x = 0 has nontrivial
solutions.
 6

D. The system of equations (λI - A)x = 0 has nontrivial

solutions.

25. If A is a 2 × 3 matrix, then the domain of the transforma-

tion TA is
A. R6
B. R2
C. R3
D. R5

26. Which of the following is a subspace of R3 ?

A. All vectors of the form (a, 0, 0)
B. All vectors of the form (a, 1, 1)
C. All vectors of the form (a, b, c) where b = a + c + 1
D. None of these

27. Which of the following is a subspace of Mn,n ?

A. The set of all non-invertible n × n matrices
B. The set of all n × n matrices A such that det(A) = 0
C. The set of all n × n matrices A such that tr(A) = 0
D. None of these

28. Which of the following is a subspace of P3 ?

A. All polynomials a3 x3 + a2 x2 + a1 x + a0 for which
a3 , a2 , a1 , a0 are rational numbers
B. All polynomials a3 x3 + a2 x2 + a1 x + a0 for which
a3 + a2 + a1 + a0 = 0
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A nor B

29. Which of the following are linear combinations of u = (0,

-2, 2) and v = (1, 3, -1)? A. (2, 2, 2)
B. (0, 0, 0)
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A nor B
 7

30. Which of the following

  are linear
 combinations
  of
4 0 1 −1 0 2
A= ,B = ,C = ?
 −2 −2  2 3 1 4
6 −8
A.
 −1 −8
0 0
B.
0 0
C. Neither A nor B
D. Both A and B

31. Find the value of m such that the vector (m, 7, −4) is a
linear combination of vectors (−2, 2, 1) and (2, 1, −2).
A. 2
B. -2
C. 0
D. -1

32. Which of the following does not span R3 ?

A. x = (2, 2, 2), y = (0, 0, 3), z = (0, 1, 1)
B. x = (2, -1, 3), y = (4, 1, 2), z = (8, -1, 8)
C. Neither A nor B span R3
D. Both A and B span R3

33. Suppose that x = (2, 1, 0, 3), y = (3, -1, 5, 2), and z = (-1,
0, 2, 1). Which of the following vectors are in span{x, y, z}?
A. (2, 3, -7, 3)
B. (1, 1, 1, 1)
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A nor B

34. Let f = cos2 x, g = sin2 x. Which of the following lie in the

space spanned by f and g?
A. 3 + x2
B. sinx
 8

C. Both A and B
D. Neither A nor B

35. Which of the following is false?

A. Every subspace of a vector space is itself a vector space.
B. Every vector space is a subspace of itself.
C. The intersection of any two subspaces of a vector space
V is a subspace of V.
D. The union of any two subspaces of a vector space V is
a subspace of V

36. The polynomials x − 1, (x − 1)2 , (x − 1)3 span P 3 .

A. True
B. False
C. Data not complete
D. span P 4

37. Which of the following is true?

A. Every subset of a vector space V that contains the zero
vector in V is a subspace of V.
B. Two subsets of a vector space V that span the same
subspace of V must be equal.
C. The set of upper triangular n × n matrices is a subspace
of the vector space of all n × n matrices.
D. All are true.

38. The kernel of a matrix transformation TA : Rn → Rm is a

subspace of
A. Rn
B. Rm
C. Rn+m
D. Rnm

39. The solution set of a consistent linear system Ax = b of m

 9

equations in n unknowns is a subspace of

A. Rm
B. Rn
C. Rn+m
D. Rnm

40. Which of the following is true?

A. A finite set that contains 0 is linearly dependent.
B. A set with exactly one vector is linearly independent if
and only if that vector is not 0.
C. A set with exactly two vectors is linearly independent if
and only if neither vector is a scalar multiple of the other.
D. All are true.

41. Find the Wronskian of 1, ex , e2x .

A. 2e2x
B. 3e2x
C. 2e3x
D. 3e3x

42. Which of the following sets of vectors in R3 are linearly

independent.
A. {(2, 1, 2), (8, 4, 8)}
B. {(1, 1, 0), (1, 1, 1), (0, 1, −1)}
C. {(1, 3, 2), (1, −7, −8), (2, 1, −1)}
D. {(−2, 0, 1), (3, 2, 5), (6, −1, 1), (7, 0, −2)}

43. Which of the following is true?

A. A set containing a single vector is linearly independent.
B. The set of vectors {v, kv} is linearly dependent for every
scalar k.
C. Every linearly dependent set contains the zero vector.
D. None of the above
 10

44. The dimension of zero vector space is

A. not defined
B. 1
C. 0
D. infinite

45. Which of the following is false?

A. There is a set of 17 linearly independent vectors in R1 7.
B. There is a set of 11 vectors that span R1 7.
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A nor B

46. Which of the following is true?

A. Every linearly independent set of five vectors in R5 is a
basis for R5 .
B. Every set of five vectors that spans R5 is a basis for R5 .
C. Every set of vectors that spans R5 contains a basis for
R5 .
D. All are true

47. Which of the following is not a vector space.

A. The set of all 2 × 2 invertible matrices with the standard
matrix addition and scalar multiplication.  
a 0
B. The set of all 2 × 2 matrices of the form with
0 b
the standard matrix addition and scalar multiplication.
C. The set of all 2 × 2 matrices with real entries with the
standard matrix addition and scalar multiplication.
D. None of these

48. Which of the following is a vector space.

A. The set of all pairs of real numbers of the form (x, 0)
with the standard operations on R2 .
B. The set of all pairs of real numbers of the form (x, y),
where x ≥ 0, with the standard operations on R2 .
 11

C. The set of all pairs of real numbers with the standard

vector addition but with scalar multiplication defined by
k(x, y) = (k 2 x, k 2 y)
D. None of the above

49. Which
 ofthe following
  is a basis
  M22 of 2 × 2 matrices.
for
1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2
A. , , ,
 0 0  0 0  3 0  0 0
1 0 0 1 3 0 0 0
B. , , ,
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
C. , , ,
0 0  0 0  3 0  0 1 
1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
D. , , ,
0 0 0 0 3 0 1 0

50. Which of the following is not a basis for R3 .

A. {(1, 1, 1), (1, 2, 3), (2, −1, −1)}
B. {(2, 0, −1), (4, 0, 7), (−1, 1, 4)}
C. {(1, 1, 2), (1, 2, 5), (5, 3, 4)}
D. All are bases

51. Transition matrices are

A. not at all invertible.
B. invertible always.
C. invertible sometimes.
D. data not complete.

52. If B is a basis for a vector space Rn , then PB→B is

A. the zero matrix.
B. a diagonal matrix.
C. no particular matrix.
D. the identity matrix.

53. If PB1 →B2 is a diagonal matrix, then

A. each vector in B2 is the same vector as in B1 .
 12

B. each vector in B2 is a scalar multiple of some vector in

B1 .
C. each vector in B2 is one more than the corresponding
vector in B1 .
D. no relation between the vectors in B2 and B1 .
54. If A is an m × n matrix, then the row space of A
A. is a subspace of Rn
B. is a subspace of Rm
C. is a subspace of Rmn
D. is a subspace of Rmin(m,n)
55. Let A be an m × n matrix. The solution space of the
homogeneous system of equations Ax = 0 is called the
A. row space of A.
B. column space of A.
C. null space of A.
D. none of these.
56. A system of linear equations Ax = b is consistent if and
only if
A. b is in the row space of A.
B. b is in the null space of A.
C. b is in the column space of A.
D. none of these.
57. Which statement is false?
A. Elementary row operations do not change the null space
of a matrix.
B. Elementary row operations do not change the row space
of a matrix.
C. Elementary row operations change the column space of
a matrix.
D. Elementary row operations do not change the column
space of a matrix.
 13

58. If a matrix R is in row echelon form, then the row vectors

with the leading 1’s (the nonzero row vectors)
A. form a basis for the column space of R
B. form a basis for the row space of R
C. does not form a basis for the column space of R
D. does not form a basis for the row space of R

59. Choose the correct statement.

A. The column space of a matrix A is the set of solutions
of Ax = b.
B. If R is the reduced row echelon form of A, then those
column vectors of R that contain the leading 1’s form a
basis for the column space of A.
C. The system Ax = b is inconsistent if and only if b is not
in the column space of A.
D. If A and B are n × n matrices that have the same row
space, then A and B have the same column space.

60. Choose the wrong statement.

A. If E is an m × m elementary matrix and A is an m ×
n matrix, then the column space of EA is the same as the
column space of A.
B. If E is an m × m elementary matrix and A is an m ×
n matrix, then the row space of EA is the same as the row
space of A.
C. If E is an m × m elementary matrix and A is an m ×
n matrix, then the null space of EA is the same as the null
space of A.
D. All are true.

61. What do you know about the dimension of the row space
and the column space of a matrix?
A. dimension of the row space is less than that of the col-
umn space.
 14

B. dimension of the row space is greater than that of the

column space.
C. dimension of the row space and that of the column space
are different.
D. dimension of the row space and that of the column space
are same always.

62. What is the maximum possible rank of an m × n matrix A

that is not square?
A. rank(A) ≥ min(m, n)
B. rank(A) ≤ min(m, n)
C. rank(A) = min(m, n)
D. rank(A) = max(m, n)

63. If A is a matrix with n columns, then

A. rank(A) + nullity(A) = n
B. rank(A) - nullity(A) = n
C. rank(A) + nullity(A) = 2n
D. rank(A) - nullity(A) = n/2

64. Find the number of parameters in the general solution of

Ax = 0 if A is a 5 × 7 matrix of rank 3.
A. 10
B. 5
C. 4
D. 7

65. Find the rank of a 5 × 6 matrix A for which Ax = 0 has a

two-dimensional solution space.
A. 8
B. 6
C. 5
D. 4

66. For a matrix A, the row space of AT is same as

 15

A. row space of A
B. column space of A
C. column space of AT
D. null space of A

67. Let A be any matrix. Then

A. rank(A) = rank(AT )
B. rank(A) 6= rank(AT )
C. rank(A) < rank(AT )
D. rank(A) > rank(AT )

68. If W is a subspace of Rn , then which of the following state-

ment is false.
A. W ⊥ is a subspace of Rn .
B. The only vector common to W and W ⊥ is 0.
C. The orthogonal complement of W ⊥ is W .
D. None of these.

69. If A is an m × n matrix, then

A. The null space of A and the row space of A are orthog-
onal complements in Rn .
B. The null space of AT and the column space of A are
orthogonal complements in Rm .
C. Both A and B are correct.
D. Neither A nor B are correct.

70. Let A be an invertible n × n matrix. Pick out the wrong

one.
A. The orthogonal complement of the null space of A is
Rn .
B. A has nullity n.
C. det(A) 6= 0.
D. The orthogonal complement of the row space of A is {0}.
 16

71. Let A be a 7 × 6 matrix such that Ax = 0 has only the

trivial solution. What is the rank of A?
A. 6
B. 0
C. 7
D. 1

72. Let A be a 5 × 7 matrix with rank 4. What is the dimension

of the solution space of Ax = 0?
A. 4
B. 3
C. 5
D. 1

73. Let T : R5 → R3 be the linear transformation defined by

T (x1 , x2 , x3 , x4 , x5 ) = (x1 + x2 , x2 + x3 + x4 , x4 + x5 ). Find
the nullity of the standard matrix for T.
A. 5
B. 3
C. 2
D. 1

74. If A is a 3 × 5 matrix, then the number of leading 1’s in

the reduced row echelon form of A is at most . . . .
A. 4
B. 2
C. 5
D. 3

75. What is the largest possible value for the rank of A and the
smallest possible value for the nullity of A if a is a 5 × 3
matrix.
A. 3;0
B. 5;3
 17

C. 5;2
D. 5;0

76. Pick the correct statement.

A. Either the row vectors or the column vectors of a square
matrix are linearly independent.
B. The nullity of a nonzero m × n matrix is at most m.
C. If A is square and Ax = b is inconsistent for some vector
b, then the nullity of A is zero.
D. The nullity of a square matrix with linearly dependent
rows is at least one.

77. The rank of a matrix A is the

A. dimension of the row space of A.
B. dimension of the column space of A.
C. both A and B
D. dimension of the null space of A.

78. If A is an m × n matrix, then the column space of A

A. is a subspace of Rn
B. is a subspace of Rm
C. is a subspace of Rmn
D. is a subspace of Rmin(m,n)

79. For a matrix A, the column space of AT is same as

A. row space of A
B. column space of A
C. row space of AT
D. null space of A

80. If A is an m × n matrix, then the null space of A

A. is a subspace of Rn
B. is a subspace of Rm
C. is a subspace of Rmn
D. is a subspace of Rmin(m,n)
 18
 
1 0 0
0 r − 2 2 
81. The values of r and s for which 
0 s − 1 r + 2 has


0 0 3
rank 1?
A. r = 2, s = 2
B. r = 2, s = 1
C. r = −2, s = 1
D. Cannot have rank 1

82. If A is a 3 × 5 matrix, then the rank of AT is at most

A. 4
B. 2
C. 5
D. 3

83. If A is a 3 × 5 matrix, then the nullity of AT is at most

A. 4
B. 2
C. 5
D. 3
 
1 0 0
0 r − 2 2 
84. The values of r and s for which 0 s − 1 r + 2 has


0 0 3
rank 2?
A. r = 2, s = 2
B. r = 2, s = 1
C. r = −2, s = 1
D. Cannot have rank 2

85. The 6 × 6 matrix with all entries 1 have rank

A. 1
B. 2
 19

C. 4
D. 6

86. Pick the odd one out.

A. λ is an eigenvalue of A.
B. λ is a solution of the characteristic equation det(λI −
A) = 0.
C. The system of equations (λI − A)x = 0 has trivial so-
lutions.
D. There is a nonzero vector x such that Ax = λx.

87. Let A is an n × n matrix. The eigenspace of A correspond-

ing to λ is same as:
A. the null space of the matrix λI − A.
B. the kernel of the matrix operator TλI−A : Rn → Rn .
C. the set of vectors for which Ax = λx.
D. All the above.

88. A square matrix A is invertible if and only if

A. λ = 0 is not an eigenvalue of A.
B. λ = 0 is an eigenvalue of A.
C. λ = 1 is not an eigenvalue of A.
D. λ = 1 is an eigenvalue of A.

89. Let A is an n × n matrix and suppose A has rank n. Then

A. TA is not one-to-one.
B. λ = 0 is not an eigenvalue of A.
C. The range of TA is {0}.
D. The kernel of TA is Rn .

90. Let T : V → V be a linear operator and T (x) = λx for

some scalar λ. Then x is called
A. an eigenvector of T .
B. an eigenvalue of T .
 20

C. an eigenspace of T .
D. None of these.

91. Suppose that the characteristic polynomial of some matrix

A is found to be p(λ) = (λ − 1)(λ − 3)2 (λ − 4)3 . What is
the size of A?
A. 5 × 5
B. 6 × 6
C. 5 × 6
D. 6 × 5

92. If 0 is an eigenvalue of a matrix A, then the set of columns

of A is
A. linearly independent or linearly dependent..
B. linearly dependent always.
C. linearly independent always.
D. Cannot be determined.

93. Which of the following is not a similarirty invariant?

A. A and P −1 AP have the same rank.
B. A and P −1 AP have the same nullity.
C. A and P −1 AP have the same trace.
D. None of these.

94. Let an n × n matrix A be diagonalizable. Then

A. A has n linearly independent eigenvectors.
B. A has n linearly dependent eigenvectors.
C. A has n+1 linearly independent eigenvectors.
D. A has n-1 linearly dependent eigenvectors.

95. If A is a square matrix, then for every eigenvalue of A,

A. the geometric multiplicity is equal to the algebraic
multiplicity.
B. the geometric multiplicity is less than or equal to the
 21

algebraic multiplicity.
C. the geometric multiplicity is greater than or equal to
the algebraic multiplicity.
D. the geometric multiplicity is strictly less than the
algebraic multiplicity.

96. Which of the following is true?

A. hu, v + wi = hu, vi + hu, wi
B. hu, v + wi = hv, ui + hw, ui
C. Both A and B are true.
D. Neither A nor B is true.

97. If u and v are vectors in a real inner product space V , then

A. |hu, vi| ≥ kuk + kvk
B. |hu, vi| ≤ kuk + kvk
C. |hu, vi| ≥ kukkvk
D. |hu, vi| ≤ kukkvk

98. Find the correct one from the given statements.

A. If u is orthogonal to every vector of a subspace W , then
u = 0.
B. If u and v are orthogonal, then |hu, vi| = kukkvk.
C. If u and v are orthogonal, then ku + vk = kukkvk.
D. None of these.

99. If u and v are orthogonal vectors in a real inner product

space V , then
A. ku + vk2 = kuk2 + kvk2 .
B. ku + vk2 < kuk2 + kvk2 .
C. ku + vk2 > kuk2 + kvk2 .
D. ku + vk2 = kuk2 kvk2 .

100. Find the wrong one from the given statements.

 22

A. If A is diagonalizable and invertible, then A−1 is diago-

nalizable.
B. If A is diagonalizable, then AT is diagonalizable.
C. If every eigenvalue of a matrix A has algebraic multi-
plicity 1, then A is diagonalizable.
D. An n × n matrix with fewer than n distinct eigenvalues
is not diagonalizable.
 23

ANSWER KEY
1. C

2. B

3. D

4. B

5. A

6. B

7. C

8. A

9. B

10. C

11. D

12. A

13. B

14. D

15. A

16. C

17. D

18. A

19. C
 24

20. B

21. C

22. D

23. A

24. D

25. C

26. A

27. C

28. B

29. C

30. D

31. A

32. B

33. C

34. D

35. D

36. B

37. C

38. A

39. A
 25

40. D

41. C

42. B

43. B

44. C

45. B

46. D

47. A

48. A

49. C

50. C

51. B

52. D

53. B

54. A

55. C

56. C

57. D

58. B

59. C
 26

60. A

61. D

62. B

63. A

64. C

65. D

66. B

67. A

68. D

69. C

70. B

71. A

72. B

73. C

74. D

75. A

76. D

77. C

78. B

79. A
 27

80. B
81. D
82. D
83. D
84. B
85. A
86. C
87. D
88. A
89. B
90. A
91. B
92. C
93. D
94. A
95. B
96. C
97. D
98. D
99. A
Prepared by: Smt. Sangeetha. M.V
100. D Assistant Professor,
Department of Mathematics,
St. Joseph's College (Autonomous)
Devagiri, Calicut.