National University of Singapore

Department of Mathematics
Semester 1, 2011/12
MA1101R, Mid-Term Test

INSTRUCTIONS
Please read carefully.
Do not turn over the question paper until you are told to do so.
There are 4 questions printed on 2 pages. Answer all questions.
Each question carries 10 marks.
You must show all your working clearly, failure to do so will result in marks
deducted.
Use pen (only) for this test.
All answers and working have to be written on the answer book provided.
Use the side with lines to write your answers. The side without lines is for
your rough work and will not be marked.
Start a new page for each question.
Fill in your particulars on the cover page of the answer book according to
the format shown below (ask any invigilator if you are unsure).

Question 1
(a) (5 marks) Solve the following linear system using Gaussian Elimination or Gauss-
Jordan Elimination.
_

_
x
3
+ 2x
4
= 3
2x
1
+ 4x
2
2x
3
= 4
2x
1
+ 4x
2
x
3
+ 2x
4
= 7
(b) (5 marks) Determine the values of t such that the linear system below has (i) no
solution; (ii) exactly one solution; (iii) innitely many solutions.
_

_
tx + y 0
x + ty z = 0
y + tz = 0
Question 2
(a) (5 marks) Solve the following linear system by Cramers Rule.
_

_
2x 5y + 2z = 7
x + 2y 4z = 3
3x 4y 6z = 5
(b) Suppose there is a linear system Ax = b whose the augmented matrix (A | b) is row
equivalent to the following:
_
_
_
_
_
1 0 1 1
0 2 1 2
0 0 3 3
0 0 0 0
_
_
_
_
_
Let C be a 4 4 matrix whose determinant is non zero.
(i) (3 marks) Prove that CAis row equivalent to Aand hence show that CAx = 0
has only the trivial solution.
(ii) (2 marks) Show (by providing an example) that CAx = b can be inconsistent.
2
Question 3
(a) (5 marks) Let A be the following matrix.
_
_
_
_
_
0 0 2 3
0 1 0 0
0 0 2 3
1 0 1 0
_
_
_
_
_
.
Find 4 elementary matrices E
1
, E
2
, E
3
, E
4
and R, the reduced row echelon form of
A such that
E
4
E
3
E
2
E
1
A = R.
(b) Let B
n
be a square matrix of order n whose entries b
ij
are dened as follows:
b
ij
=
_

_
2 if i = j;
1 if i = j + 1 or i = j 1;
0 otherwise.
(i) (1 mark) Write down the matrix B
4
.
(ii) (4 marks) Prove that for n 3, det(B
n
) = 2det(B
n1
) det(B
n2
) and hence
evaluate det(B
100
).
Question 4
Let A, B, C be subsets of R
3
given below.
A = {(x, y, z) | 2x y + z = 1}.
B = {(a, b, c) | 2a b + c = 1 and a b + 3c = 1}.
C = {(1, 2, 0) + t(4, 5, 1) | t R}.
(i) (2 marks) Express the set A explicitly.
(ii) (1 mark) Describe the set B geometrically.
(iii) (1 mark) Is B A? Briey explain your answer.
(iv) (2 marks) Is C A? Briey explain your answer.
(v) (4 marks) Find two planes (by giving their equations) whose intersection is the set
C.
3