Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2017 / ib / Paper 1 / 1F (Linear Algebra)

The Steinitz exchange lemma says that if $w_1,\dots ,w_m$ span a vector space and $v_1,\dots ,v_r$ are linearly independent, then $r\le m$, and after reordering the $w_j$, the family $v_1,\dots ,v_r,w_{r+1},\dots ,w_m$ still spans. Here is a proof. Suppose the first $k-1$ replacements have been made. Express $v_k$ in that spanning family. Some coefficient of a remaining $w_j$ must be nonzero, since otherwise $v_k$ belongs to the span of $v_1,\dots ,v_{k-1}$, contrary to linear independence. Solve for that $w_j$ and replace it by $v_k$; this preserves spanning. If $r>m$, the first $m$ replacements leave a spanning family $v_1,\dots ,v_m$, contradicting linear independence of the first $m+1$ vectors. This proves both assertions.

Now suppose $S$ is linearly independent and spans ${\mathbb{R}}^n$. Express each member of the standard basis using finitely many members of $S$, and let $S_0$ be the finite union of those members. Then $S_0$ spans. No element of $S\setminus S_0$ can exist, since it would be a linear combination of $S_0$ and violate linear independence. Thus $S$ is finite. Applying the Steinitz exchange lemma in both directions to $S$ and the standard basis gives $|S|\le n$ and $n\le |S|$. Hence $\boxed{|S|=n}$.

If $S$ is linearly independent and has $n$ elements, apply the Steinitz exchange lemma with $S$ as the independent family and the standard basis as the spanning family. All $n$ members of the standard basis are replaced, leaving $S$ itself spanning. Thus $\boxed{\mathrm{span}S={\mathbb{R}}^n}$, so $S$ is a basis.

If $S$ spans and has $n$ elements but is linearly dependent, a nontrivial linear combination equal to zero lets us remove one member without changing the span. This produces $n-1$ spanning vectors, whereas the standard basis contains $n$ linearly independent vectors, contradicting the Steinitz exchange lemma. Therefore $\boxed{S\text{ is linearly independent}}$. Together the three deductions establish that any two of the three properties imply the third. For $n=0$, the only independent or zero-element family is the empty basis, and the same conclusions hold.

Relative to the given basis $e_1,e_2$, the proposed vectors are the columns ofThe determinant is nonzero exactly when the columns form a basis. Thus $\boxed{\lambda \ne \pm 1}$. At $\lambda =1$ the vectors coincide, and at $\lambda =-1$ they are negatives of one another.