Equality of row rank and column rank

For the map represented by a matrix $A$, column rank is the rank of the map and row rank is the rank of its dual. Since the dual map has kernel equal to the annihilator of the original image, rank-nullity gives equal ranks.

If the columns $v_1,\dots ,v_m$ of an $n$ by $m$ matrix are independent, some $m$ by $m$ row minor is nonzero. A nonzero term of that minor's determinant selects distinct nonzero coordinates $f(i)$, and replacing the corresponding standard basis vectors $e_{f(i)}$ by the $v_i$ leaves a basis.