Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2015/prelims/mathematics-i/2/c/i/solution

A system of linear equations is solvable exactly when . If is one solution, then
so its solution set is , a translate of the kernel of a linear map.
For , the matrix is an invertible matrix, and
Every is in the image of a linear map and has exactly one preimage. For , its first two columns span the image of a linear map, while the corresponding homogeneous linear system gives the kernel of a linear map:
The prescribed satisfies the displayed condition precisely when . If , it lies outside the image of a linear map and there is no solution. If , it lies in the image of a linear map, and the nonzero kernel of a linear map supplies infinitely many solutions.

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