Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2019 ib Paper 1 1F Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-29
A basis of a vector space is a family of vectors that is both linearly independent and a spanning set of .
Write the given finite basis as . First, any other basis must also be finite. Each is a finite linear combination of elements of , so the union of the finitely many elements of occurring in these expressions is finite. Since spans every , it spans . If some existed, then would lie in the span of , contradicting the linear independence of . Hence ; write .
It remains to prove the elementary Steinitz exchange lemma directly. If independent vectors lie in the span of , express in terms of the . Some coefficient is nonzero, so the corresponding can be solved for in terms of and the other ; replacing it by preserves the span. Inductively, after replacing of the by , the expression for must have a nonzero coefficient on one of the unreplaced , since otherwise would be a linear combination of . That can again be replaced. There are only original vectors to replace, so .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2019 ib Paper 2 1F Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-29
Let . Choose a basis of the intersection of vector subspaces, extend it to a basis of , and independently extend it to a basis of . The combined listspans the sum of vector subspaces . It is also linearly independent: a vanishing linear combination says that a combination of the belongs to , and its expression in the chosen basis of forces all its coefficients to vanish; the coefficients of the then vanish in the same way. This proves the dimension formula for a sum of subspaces
Parametrize the two linear subspaces asPutting a vector of in first forces its fourth coordinate to vanish; the remaining defining equation is then automatic. Thusand the dimension formula gives .
The linear functionalvanishes on each displayed generator of and . Its kernel is three-dimensional because , so the inclusion between two three-dimensional subspaces is equality.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2020 ib Paper 1 8F Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-29
The rank of a matrix is the dimension of its column space, equivalently the dimension of the image of a linear map represented by the matrix. For , the rank-nullity theorem givesAn injective endomorphism of a finite-dimensional vector space is surjective, hence invertible. By the adjugate matrix identity is invertible when ; conversely, multiplicativity of the determinant shows that an invertible has nonzero determinant. Therefore
Let be the matrix unit with its only nonzero entry at . The following matrices are all nonsingular:Indeed, is an elementary shear when , while is diagonal with one diagonal entry equal to two. Their linear span contains every except initially , because , and it then containsThus spans the -dimensional space and, having members, is a basis. This also covers , when .
Now let be a nonsingular zero-one matrix. If it had fewer than zero entries, at least two rows would contain no zero at all. Those two rows would both be the all-one row, contradicting linear independence. Hence every such matrix has at mostones. The bound is attained. Let be the all-one matrix and setwhere there are initial diagonal ones. If and , the first row equations give , while the last gives . Hence every , so is nonsingular and has exactly ones. Therefore
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2020 ii Paper 2 31D a ii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-29
Supposethroughout the punctured neighbourhood, and let be the least index with . Part (i) implies for every . Dividing by and taking therefore givesa contradiction. Hence every vanishes and are linearly independent.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2021 ib Paper 2 8E b ii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
We use induction on . SupposeApplying givesBy induction, every for . The eigenvalues are distinct, so for , and the original relation then gives . Thus eigenvectors with distinct eigenvalues are linearly independent.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2021 ib Paper 4 18H a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2022 ii Paper 2 13E Solution Created 2026-09-23 Updated 2026-09-25
Substitution ofand integration by parts giveThus takeand require the endpoint term to vanish. Infinite contour ends must lie in sectors where , namely sectors centred on the positive and negative real and imaginary axes, each of angular width .
Let the common final segment be the positive real ray from to , and choose the initial rays from , , and to . Call the resulting contours . PutSince , for the three rows areConsequentlyUsing the Gamma function reflection identity,The initial-data vectors are therefore linearly independent, so the three contour integrals are linearly independent solutions.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 ii Paper 2 13E c Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Part (b) gives paths with the same endpoint but integral valuesApplying the local inverse and then continuing it shows thatSince , the first period is real and the second is purely imaginary, so they are linearly independent over . Hence is an elliptic function with two periodsIndeed, it is the Jacobi elliptic sine, and these generators give its period lattice.
A real number is an eigenvalue of if there is a nonzero vector with ; such a is an eigenvector for . The nonzero condition is essential.
For distinct eigenvalues , choose corresponding nonzero eigenvectors . Prove their linear independence by induction on . The claim for one vector is immediate. Given a relation , apply to getBy the induction hypothesis, every coefficient here is zero. Distinctness gives for , and the original relation then gives since . Thus the eigenvectors are linearly independent.
With distinct real eigenvalues, the real eigenvectors form a basis of . Put them into the columns of . Then is invertible andThis proves diagonalizability directly.
The rank of a linear map and nullity of a linear map areThe rank-nullity theorem states thatTo prove it, choose a basis of the kernel of a linear map and use basis extension to obtain a basisof . The vectors span the image of a linear map: applying to an arbitrary linear combination of the displayed basis removes all the terms. They are also linearly independent. Indeed,so for some scalars . The linear independence of the extended basis forces every and to vanish. Consequently and , proving the identity. The same argument covers an empty basis when one of these dimensions is zero.
The function solves the linear ordinary differential equation. Apply reduction of order by writing . Substituting and and cancelling the terms in givesFor , this becomes a first-order linear ordinary differential equation:A partial fraction decomposition provides the required antiderivative:ThereforeThe logarithm has positive argument on the required interval. The Wronskian of and is , proving their linear independence and hence completeness of this general solution.
Put and for . Since and , the two families have the same linear span. Moreover,If the are linearly independent, a vanishing expression forces for and then . Conversely,so linear independence of the forces all . Thus both the spanning set condition and linear independence are equivalent for the two families, proving the desired equivalence of bases.
The Steinitz exchange lemma states that if are linearly independent and span a vector space , then and some of the can be replaced by while preserving the spanning set property.
Here is the exchange argument. Suppose that after replacements, a spanning set iswhere the remaining have been relabelled if necessary. Express as a linear combination of this family. At least one remaining has a nonzero coefficient; otherwise belongs to the span of , contradicting linear independence. Relabel this entry . Solving for shows that it lies in the span ofThe new family therefore still spans . Starting at repeats this step until all independent vectors have been inserted. If , after steps the next would lie in the span of , a contradiction. Thus , and the construction proves the replacement assertion as well.
The vectors are linearly independent ifThey span if every is a linear combination with real coefficients. They form a basis of if they are linearly independent and span . Equivalently, every has exactly one such representation: existence is the spanning set condition, and subtracting two representations shows that uniqueness is precisely linear independence.
Write , and . If , thenEliminating gives , and eliminating gives . Hence implies linear independence.
For the converse, suppose . If , the family already contains the zero vector and is linearly dependent. If , the equality gives . If but , then and forces , so . Both cases give a nontrivial linear relation. ThereforeThis is the two-dimensional determinant criterion, proved directly without assuming that criterion.
The preimage isIt contains , and if belong to it and , then , since is a vector subspace. Thus is a vector subspace. It contains the kernel of because .
To establish the dimension of the preimage of a vector subspace formula without assuming the theorem to be deduced, choose a basis of and a basis of , where . For each , choose with . These lie in .
The family is linearly independent: applying to a vanishing linear combination forces all coefficients to vanish by linear independence of the , and then all remaining coefficients vanish by linear independence of the . It also spans : for in that preimage, write . Then , so it is a linear combination of the . ConsequentlySet . Then and , giving the rank-nullity theorem:
The monomials form a basis of : they span every polynomial of degree of a polynomial at most , and equality of polynomials forces equality of every coefficient, proving linear independence. ThereforeThe zero polynomial is included in even though its degree of a polynomial need not be assigned an ordinary nonnegative value.
Write . Since , necessarily . Rearranging givesAll generators of therefore belong to , proving one set inclusion. Conversely, all belong to the linear subspace , proving the other set inclusion. ThusThis linear span exchange does not require linear independence of the original vectors.
Suppose . If , thencontrary to the hypothesis. Hence . The assumed linear independence of then gives . Therefore are linearly independent. Adding a vector outside the previous linear span creates no nontrivial relation.
For , its image of a linear map is exactly . Consequently is surjective if and only if are a spanning set for .
If the vectors are linearly independent and , then , so for all . Hence is injective. Conversely, if is injective, any relation says and thus , proving linear independence.