Mathematics 369

Homework (due Apr 4) Solutions

Leon, Section 5.5, Question 5

(uT u1 )2 + (uT u2 )2 = ||u||2 , as {u1 , u2 } is an orthonormal basis for R2 . Hence

T. Penttila
1
4

+ (uT u2 )2 = 1,

giving uT u2 to be plus or minus 23 .

Question 7
From ||x|| = 5, we see that c21 + c22 + c23 = 25.
From hu1 , xi = 4, we see that c1 = 4.
From hu2 , xi = 0, we see that c2 = 0.
So the possible values for (c1 , c2 , c3 ) are (4, 0, 3) and (4, 0, 3).
Question 8
 T 

3
1
By Corollary 5.5.3, h f , gi =
= 3 2 = 1.
2
1
Question 11
Let U be an orthogonal matrix. Then UU T = I. Since U is square, it follows that U T = U 1 , and
so U T U = I. Thus U T (U T )T = I. Hence U T is orthogonal.
Question 12
If Q is an orthogonal matrix, then the angle between Qx and Qy equals the angle between x
and y. To prove this, first note that for any vector v, the scalar product of Qv with itself is
(Qv)T Qv = vT QT Qv = vT v, as QT Q = I, as Q is orthogonal. Hence the length of Qv equals the
length of v. The angle between x and y is the ratio of the scalar product of x and y and the product
of the length of x and the legnth of y. Thus to prove our result, we need only show that the scalar
product of x and y equals the scalar product of Qx and Qy. Now (Qx)T Qy = xT QT Qy = xT y, as
QT Q = I, as Q is orthogonal.
Question 15
QQT = I, since Q is orthogonal. Taking determinants, we obtain
det(QQt ) = det(Q)det(QT ) = det(I) = 1. By Theorem 2.1.2, det(QT ) = det(Q). So det(Q)2 = 1.
Thus |det(Q)| = 1.