1 Basis and dimension of vector space

Let V be a vector space, a non empty subset S of V over F is said to be the

basis of V if
ˆ S is linearly independent.

ˆ L(S) = V that is S spans V .

Therefore every element v ∈ V can be expressed as linear combination of ele-

ments of S . The cardinality of the basis of the vector space V is called dimension
of V and denoted by dim V .
Note: If cardinality of basis of a vector space V is nite then V is nite dimen-
sion vector space otherwise innite dimension vector space.
Remark:
1. Suppose S spans vector space V . Then any maximal number of linearly
independent vectors in S form a basis of V .
2. Any set containing the zero vector is linearly dependent.
3. Let V be vector space that one basis has m elements and another basis
has n elements. Then m = n.
Examples:
1. Consider V = R3 , then S = {(1, 0, 0), (0, 1, 0), (0, 0, 1)} forms basis of V .
2. Consider V = M2×3 (R) then
           
1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
s = , , , , ,
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
forms basis of V .
3. For V = Pn (t), S = 1, t, t2 , . . . , tn forms basis of Pn (t).


Note: dim V = R3 = 3, dim (V = M2×3 (R)) = 6, dim (Pn (t)) = n + 1.

1. Determine whether or not each of the following form a basis of R3 .

a) (1, 1, 1), (1, 0, 1) b) (1, 1, 1), (1, 2, 3), (2, −1, 1)
Solution: a) No, since dimR3 = 3, basis set contains exactly 3 elements
but it has 2 elements.
b)Forms a basis if they are linearly independent. Form a matrix whose rows
are given vector and
 row reduce the
 matrix to echelon form.
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 2 3∼0 1 2 ∼0 1 2. The echelon form has no zero
2 −1 1 0 −3 −1 0 0 5
rows, hence all three vectors are linearly independent. So they form basis for
R3 .

Algorithm to nd basis for subspace

Step 1: Form the matrix M whose rows are given vectors.
Step 2: Row reduce M to echelon form.
Step 3: Output the nonzero rows of the echelon matrix.

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 The number of nonzero rows in the echelon matrix gives dimension of the
subspace and nonzero rows form a basis for the subspace.

Examples:
1. Let W be the subspace of R5 spanned by the following vectors u1 =
(1, 2, 1, 3, 2), u2 = (1, 3, 3, 5, 3), u3 = (3, 8, 7, 13, 8), u4 = (1, 4, 6, 9, 7),
u5 = (5, 13, 13, 25, 19). Find the basis of W and dim W .
⇒ Form amatrix M whose rows  are given vectors   
1 2 1 3 2 1 2 1 3 2 1 2 1 3 2
1 3 3 5 3 0 1 2 2 1 0 1 2 2 1
     
M = 3 8  7 13 8  ∼ 0 2 4 4 2 ∼ 
  
0 0 0 0 0 ∼

1 4 6 9 7  0 2 5 6 5   0 0 1 2 3
 5 13 13 25 19 0 3 8 10 9 0 0 2 4 6

1 2 1 3 2 1 2 1 3 2
0 1 2 2 1 0 1 2 2 1
0 0 0 0 0 ∼ 0 0 1 2 3. The r1 , r2 , r3 corresponds to u1 , u2 , u4
   
   
0 0 1 2 3 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
forms basis of W . Thus dim W = 3.

2. Determine whether (1, 1, 1, 1), (1, 2, 3, 2), (2, 5, 6, 4), (2, 6, 8, 5) form a basis of
R4 . If not, nd dimension of the subspace they span.
⇒ Forma matrix       
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 2 3 2 0 1 2 1 1 2 2 1 0 1 2 1
2 5 6 4 ∼ 0
B=   ∼ ∼ .
3 4 2 0 0 −2 −1 0 0 2 1
2 6 8 5 0 4 6 3 0 0 −2 −1 0 0 0 0
The echelon form has zero row, all four rows are linear dependent. Hence, four
vector span a subspace of dim 3.

3. Extend {u1 = (1,  (2,2, 3, 4)} to a basis of R .

 1, 1, 1), u2 =
4

1 1 1 1 1 1 11
⇒ The matrix is ∼ . Let w1 = (1, 1, 1, 1), w2 =
2 2 3 4 0 0 12
(0, 0, 1, 2) spans same set of vectors as that by u1 and u2 .
Choose u3 = (0, 1, 0, 0), u4 = (0, 0, 0, 1), then form a matrix. Verify w1 , w2 , u3 , u4
are linear independent and then they form basis of R4 .

4. Find the basis and dimension of the subspace W of R3 , where

a) W = {(a, b, c); a + b + c = 0}
b)W = {(a, b, c); (a = b = c)}.
⇒ a) Note that W = R3 , since (1, 2, 3) ∈
/ W . Therefore dim < 3.
Choose u1 = (1, 0, −1), u2 = (0, 1, −1) which are linear independent vectors
in W and spans W . Therefore u1 and u2 forms basis of W and dim W = 2.
b) Similarly W ̸= R3 , dim W < 3.
W = {(a, a, a)/a ∈ R}, hence (1, 1, 1) form basis and dim W = 1.

5. Let W be the subspace of R4 spanned by the vectors u1 = (1, −2, 5, −3),

u2 = (2, 3, 1, −4), u3 = (3, 8, −3, −5).
a) Find a basis and dimension of W .

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 b)Extend the basis of W to basis of R4.  
1 −2 5 −3 1 −2 5 −3
⇒ a) Form matrix A = 2 3 1 −4 ∼ 0 7 −9 2
 3 8 −3 −5 0 14 −18 4
1 −2 5 −3
∼ 0 7 −9 2 . Hence non-zero rows (1, −2, 5, 3) and (0, 7, −9, 2)
0 0 0 0
forms basis of row space of A and W . Therefore dim W = 2.
b) To extend the basis of W to basis of R4 need to have four linear inde-
pendent vectors, which include the above two vectors. Choose (1, −2, 5, −3),
(0, 7, −9, 2), (0, 0, 1, 0) and (0, 0, 0, 1) which are linear independent. Therefore
forms basis of R4 .

6. Let W be the subspace of R5 spanned by u1 = (1, 2, −1, 3, 4), u2 = (2, 4, −2, 6, 8),
u3 = (1, 3, 2, 2, 6),u4 = (1, 4, 5, 1, 8), u5 = (2, 7, 3, 3, 9). Find subset of vectors
that form basis of W.   
1 2 −1 3 4 1 2 −1 3 4
2 4 −2 6 8 0 0 0 0 0
⇒ The matrix M = 
   
1 3 2 2 6 ∼ 0 1 3 −1 2
   
1 4 5 1 8 0 2 6 −2 4
2 7 3 3 9 0 3 5 −3 1
 
1 2 −1 3 4
0 0 0 0 0
. There are three non zero rows, which implies
 
∼  0 1 3 −1 2
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 −1 0 −5
dim W = 3.

Basis and dimension of solution space of AX =0. 

−3 6 −1 1 −7
1. Find a basis for the null space of the matrix A =  1 −2 2 3 −1
2 −4 5 8 −4
⇒ Note that, the dimension of solution space W of homogeneous system AX = 0
is n − r. Where n is the number of unknowns and r is the rank of the coecient
matrix A.
Write corresponding
 system of equationfor 
the matrix A after forming
 ech-
−3 6 −1 1 −7 1 −2 0 −1 3 0
elon form. That is  1 −2 2 3 −1 ∼ 0 0 1 2 −2 0
2 −4 5 8 −4 0 0 0 0 0 0

x1 − 2x2 − x4 + 3x5 = 0
x3 + 2x4 − 2x5 = 0

Which implies x1 = 2x2 + x4 − 3x5 , x3 = −2x4 + 2x5 with x2 , x4 and x5 are

free variable.

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          
x1 2x2 + x4 − 3x5 2 1 −3
x2   x 2
 1 0 0
         
x3  =  −2x4 + 3x5  = x2 0 + x4 −2 + x5  2  = x2 u + x4 v +
         
x4   x4  0 1 0
x5 x5 0 0 1
x5 w. Which implies {(u, v, w)} spans Nul A and forms basis of Nul A. Therefore
Nul A=5 − 2 = 3.
   
1 −2 5 −7
2. Let A =  2 0 7  and u =  3  is u in Nul A?
−3 −5 −3 2
⇒ u ∈Nul A i Au =
0.   
1 −2 5 −7 0
Au =  2 0 7   3  = 0, which implies u ∈ N ulA.
−3 −5 −3 2 0

3. Find the dimension and basis of solution space W of each homogeneous

system.
a) x + 2y + 2z + −s + 3t = 0
x + 2y + 3z + s + t = 0
3x + 6y + 8z + s + 5t = 0
⇒ First
 reduce system to echelon
 form   
1 2 2 −1 3 1 2 2 −1 3 1 2 2 −1 3
1 2 3 1 1 ∼ 0 0 1 2 −2 ∼ 0 0 1 2 −2 Then
3 6 8 1 5 0 0 2 4 −4 0 0 0 0 0
corresponding system is
x + 2y + 2z − s + 3t = 0
z +2s −2t = 0         
x −2y − 2z + s − 3t −2 −2 1 −3
y   y  1 0 0 0
           
z  = 
   −2s + 2t  = y  0  + z  0  + s −2 + t  2 
        
s  s  0 0 1 0
t t 0 0 0 1
Since z = −2s+2t and y, s, t are free variables. Which implies yu1 +su2 +tu3 .
Therefore u1 = (−2, 1, 0, −0), u2 = (1, 0, −2, 1, 0), u3 = (−3, 0, 2, 0, 1) forms
basis of W . dim W = 3.

b) x + 2y + z − 2t = 0
2x + 4y + 4z − 3t = 0
3x + 6y + 7z − 4t = 0.
⇒ First
 reduce system
 to echelon form
  
1 2 1 −2 1 2 1 −2 1 2 1 −2
2 4 4 −3 ∼ 0 0 2 1  ∼ 0 0 2 1 .
3 6 7 −4 0 0 4 2 0 0 0 0
Then corresponding system is
x + 2y + z − 2t = 0
2z + t = 0

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        
x −2y − 5z −2 −5
y   y  1 0
 =  = y +z 
z   z  0 1
t −2z 0 −2
Which implies u1 = (−2, 1, 0, 0), u2 = (−5, 0, 1, −2) forms basis of W and
dim W = 2.
c)x + y + 2z = 0
2x + 3y + 3z = 0
x + 3y
 + 5z =0    
1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 2
⇒ A = 2 3 3 ∼ 0 1 −1 ∼ 0 1 −2 which has all non zero rows,
1 3 5 0 2 3 0 0 5
implies 0 is the only solution. Hence dim W = 0.

4. Find the homogeneous system whose solution set W is spanned by {u1 , u2 , u3 } =

{(1, −2, 0, 3), (1, −1, −1, 4), (1, 0, −2, 5)}.
⇒ Let v = (x, y, z, t), then v ∈ W i v is a linear combination of the vectors
u1 , u2 , u3 that span W . Form matrix M whose rst column are u1 , u2 , u3 and
whoselast column is v and  then row reduce M to echelon
 form. 
1 1 1 x 1 1 1 x 1 1 1 x
−2 −1 0 y  0 1 2 2x + y 
 0 1 2 2x + y 

M =  0 −1 −2 z  ∼ 0 −1 −2
  
z  0 0 0 2x + y + z 
3 4 5 t 0 1 2 −3x + t 0 0 0 −5x − y + t
The v is linear combination of u1 , u2 , u3 if rankM = rankA, where A is sub
matrix without column v . Thus set the last two entries in the fourth column on
the right equal to zero to obtain required homogeneous system that is
2x + y + z = 0
5x + y − t = 0.

5. Consider the following subspace of R5

U = span(u1 , u2 , u3 ) = span{(1, 3, −2, 2, 3), (1, 4, −3, 4, 2), (2, 3, −1, −2, 9)}
W = span(w1 , w2 , w3 ) = span {(1, 3, 0, 2, 1), (1, 5, −6, 6, 3), (2, 5, 3, 2, 1)} .
Find the basis and dimension of a)U + W b)U ∩ W
⇒ a) U +
 W is the space spanned
  by all six vectors.   
1 3 −2 2 3 1 3 −2 2 3 1 3 −2 2 3
1
 4 −3 4 2 0
 1 −1 2 −1 0
 1 −1 2 −1
2 3 −1 −2 9 ∼ 0
 −3 3 6 3 ∼ 0
 0 1 0 −1
U +W =  
1
 3 0 2 1 0
 0 2 0 −2 0
 0 0 0 0 
1 5 −6 6 3  0 2 −4 4 0  0 0 0 0 0 
2 5 3 2 1 0 −1 7 −2 −5 0 0 0 0 0
Hence (1, 3, −2, 2, 3), (0, 1, −1, 2, 1), (0, 0, 1, 0, −1) forms basis of U +W . There-
fore dim(U + W ) = dim U + dim W − dim(U ∩ W ) = 3.
The basis of U + W is maximum linear independent set of B1 ∪ B2 , where
B1 is the basis of U and B2 is basis of W .
b)Let v = (x, y, z, s, t) denote an arbitrary element in R5 .
Claim: Find homogeneous system whose solution set are U and W respec-
tively.
Form matrix M whose columns are ui and vi and reduce M to echelon form.

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    
1 1 2 x 1 1 2 x
3 4 3 y 0 1 −3 −3x + y 
 Set the last 3 entries in
   
−2
M = −3 −1 z ∼ 0 0 0 −x + y + z 

2 4 −2 s  0 0 0 4x − 2y + s 
3 2 9 t 0 0 0 −6x + y + t
the last column are equal to zero to obtain the following homogeneous system
whose solution set is U . That is −x + y + z = 0, 4x − 2y + s = 0, −6x + y + t = 0.
Similarly, be the 
matrix
 whose columns are wi and  vi .
′
 M
1 1 2 x 1 1 2 x
3 5 5 y 0 2 −1 −3x +y 
′    
0
M = −6 3 z  ∼ 0 0 0 −9x + 3y + 2
 

2 6 2 s  0 0 0 4x − 2y + s 
1 3 1 t 0 0 0 4x − 2y + t
again set last 3 entries of last column to zero to obtain following homogeneous
system whose solution set is W . That is −9x + 3y + z = 0, 4x − 2y + s =
0, 2x − y + t = 0 combine both of the above system to obtain homogeneous
system whose solution space is U ∩ W and reduce the system to echelon form.
−x + y + z = 0 ⇒ x = y + z
2y + 4z + s = 0 ⇒ s = −2y − 4z
8z + 5s + 2t = 0 ⇒ s = 2t
s − 2t = 0 ⇒ 8z = −5s − 2t
which implies t is only free variable. dim(U ∩ W ) = 1. Set t = 2, u =
(1, 4, −3, 4, 2) which forms basis of U ∩ W .

Note: 1. dim(W1 + W2 ) = dim W1 + dim W2 − dim(W1 ∩ W2 ).

2.dim(W1 ⊕ W2 ) = dim W1 + dim W2 .
3. max{dim W1 , dim W2 } ≤ dim(W1 +W2 ) ≤ min{dim W1 +dim W2 , dim V }.
4. max{0, dim W1 +dim W2 −dim V } ≤ dim(W1 ∩W2 ) ≤ min{dim W1 , dim W2 }.

6. Suppose U and W are distinct 4-dimensional subspace V , where dim V = 6.

Find the possible dimension of U ∩ M .
⇒ The U and W are distinct, which implies U ⊂ U + W, W ⊂ U + W.
By property, dim(U + W ) > 4 and dim(U + W ) ≤ 6. Since dim V = 6, which
implies dim(U + W ) = 6 or dim(U + W ) = 5.
We know that dim(U ∩ W ) = dim U + dim W − dim(U + W ) = 4 + 4 −
dim(U + W ), which implies dim(U ∩ W ) = 3 or 2.

7. If V = R4 , W1 = {(a, b, c, d)/a + b = 0, c + d = 0} W2 = {(a, b, c, d)/a =

b, c = d}. Find a) dim W1 , b) dim W2 , c) dim(W1 ∩ W2 ), d) dim(W1 + W2 ).
⇒ dim V = dim R4 = 4
 a)a + b =0, c + d = 0 form matrix corresponds to these conditions. A =
1 1 0 0
. The rank(A) = 2, which implies dim W1 = 4−2 = 2 = n−r = 2
0 0 1 1
or number of independent variables that is b and d, which implies dim W1 = 2.
b) a = b, c = d, which implies dim W2 = 2.
c) dim(W1 ∩ W2 )
W1 ∩ W2 = {(a, b, c, d/a + b = 0, c + d = 0, a − b = 0, c − d = 0)}

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    
1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0
0 0 1 1  0 0 1 1
A= 1 −1 0 0  ∼ 0 −2
  
0 0
0 0 1 −1 0 0 0 −2
dim(W1 ∩ W2 ) = 4 − 4 = 0, which implies dim(W1 + W2 ) = 2 + 2 − 0 = 4.
     
a b a a
8. If V = M2 (R), W1 =
0 a
/a, b ∈ R , W2 =
0 b
/a, b ∈ R .
Find dim W1 , dim W2 , dim(W1 ∩ W2 ), dim(W1 + W2 ) and basis for all.
⇒ Let V = M2 (R)
, dimV = dim M 2 (R) = 2 × 2 = 4.
a b
Let W1 = /a, b ∈ R , here a and b can be chosen arbitrarily.
0 a
Which impliesdim W1= 2. 
a a
Let W2 = /a, b ∈ R , similarly dim W2 = 2.
0 b
   
1 0 0 1
Basis of W1 = B1 = ,
0 1 0 0
1 1 0 0
Basis of W2 = B2 = , .
  0 0  0 1
a a
W1 ∩ W2 = /a ∈ R , where a is only non trivial entry. Which
0 a
implies dim W1 ∩ W2 = 1 . 
1 1
Basis of W1 ∩ W2 =
0 1
dim(W1 + W2 ) = dim W1 + dim W2 − dim W1 ∩ W2 = 2 + 2 − 1 = 3.
Basis of W1+ W2 ismaximum
  linear
 independent
   set of B1 ∪ B2 .
1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0
B1 ∪ B2 = , , ,
0 1  0 0 0 0 0 1
1 1
observe that, is linear combination of remaining. That is
   0  0    
1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0
=1 +1 −1
0 0  0 1  0  0 0 1
1 0 0 1 0 0
Therefore , , forms basis of W1 + W2 .
0 1 0 0 0 1

9. Let V= P3 (R), W1 {P (x) ∈ P3 (R)/P (1) = 0, P (2) = 0, P (−1) = 0, P (−2) = 0, P (0) = 0}.
Find dim W1 , dim W2 , dim W1 ∩ W2 , dim W1 + W2 .
⇒ Consider P3 (x) = a0 + a1 (x) + a2 x2 + a3 x3
V = P3 (R), dim V = 3 + 1 = 4
P (1) = a0 + a1 + a2 + a3
P (−1) = a0 − a1 + a2 − a3
′
P (x) = a1 + 2a2 x + 3a3 x2
′
P (−1) = a1 − 2a2 + 3a3
P (1) = a1 + 2a2 + 3a3 .
′

   
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 −1 1 −1 0 −2 0 −2
The corresponding matrix is A = 
0
∼ ,
1 2 3  0 1 2 3
0 1 −2 3 0 0 −4 0
which implies dim W1 = 4 − 4 = 0.

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For W2 ,
P (1) = a0 + a1 + a2 + a3 = 0
P (2) = a0 + 2a1 + 4a2 + 8a3 = 0
P (−1) = a0 − a1 + a2 − a3 = 0
P (−2) = a2 − 2a1 + 4a2 − 8a3 = 0
P(0) = a0 = 0.       
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 2 4 8  0 1 3 7  0 1 3 7  0 1 3 7 
  
   
A=
 1 −1 1 −1  ∼ 0 −2 0 −2 ∼ 0 0 6 12 ∼ 0 0 6 −12
      
1 −2 4 −8 0 −3 3 −9 0 0 12 12 0 0 0 −12
1 0 0 0 0 −1 −1 −1 0 0 2 6 0 0 0 0
For W1 ∩W2 = {P (x) ∈oP3 (R)/P (0) = 0, P (1) = 0, P (−1) = 0, P (2) = 0, P (−2) = 0,
P (1) = 0, P (−1) = 0 , which gives 7 × 4 matrix, rank(A) ≤ 4.
′ ′

Form matrix and verify the non zero rows, we get rank(A) = 4. Implies
dim(W1 ∩ W2 ) = 4 − 4 = 0
dim(W1 + W2 ) = dim W1 + dim W2 − dim W1 ∩ W2 = 0.