University of California Davis Name (Print):
Abstract Linear Algebra MAT 67 Student ID (Print):
Practice Midterm Examination April 26 2024
Time Limit: 50 Minutes
This examination document contains 7 pages, including this cover page, and 4 problems.
You must verify whether there any pages missing, in which case you should let the instruc-
tor know. Fill in all the requested information on the top of this page, and put your initials
on the top of every page, in case the pages become separated.
You may not use your books, notes, or any calculator on this exam.
You are required to show your work on each problem on this exam. The following rules apply:
(A) If you use a lemma, proposition or the-
orem which we have seen in the class or Problem Points Score
in the book, you must indicate this and
explain why the theorem may be applied. 1 25
(B) Organize your work, in a reasonably neat 2 25
and coherent way, in the space provided. Work
scattered all over the page without a clear or- 3 25
dering will receive little credit.
4 25
(C) Mysterious or unsupported answers will
not receive full credit. A correct answer,
Total: 100
unsupported by calculations, explanation, or
algebraic work will receive little credit; an in-
correct answer supported by substantially cor-
rect calculations and explanations will receive
partial credit.
(D) If you need more space, use the back of the
pages; clearly indicate when you have done
this.
Do not write in the table to the right.
Practice Midterm Examination - Page 2 of 7 April 26 2024
1. (25 points) Let V = R4 and consider the two subsets
U1 := {(x1 , x2 , x3 , x4 ) ∈ R4 : x1 + x2 + 2x3 + x4 = 0},
U2 := {(x1 , x2 , x3 , x4 ) ∈ R4 : 3x1 − x2 + 8x3 = 0, x4 = 0}.
(a) (5 points) Show that U1 ⊆ V is a vector subspace.
Solution. Let f : V → R be given by f (x1 , x2 , x3 , x4 ) = x1 + x2 + 2x3 + x4 = 0.
Then U1 = {v ∈ V : f (v) = 0}. Since f is a linear function,
f (v1 + v2 ) = f (v1 ) + f (v2 ) = 0, ∀v1 , v2 ∈ U1 ,
f (a · v1 ) = a · f (v1 ) = 0, ∀v1 ∈ U1 .
Therefore U1 ⊆ V is a subspace, as it is closed under sum and scalar multiplication.
(b) (10 points) Show that V = U1 + U2 .
Solution. The vectors v1 = (1, −1, 0, 0), v2 = (0, 1, 0, −1) and v3 = (−2, 0, 1, 0)
are linearly independent. Since U1 ̸= V , {v1 , v2 , v3 } are a basis for U1 . It suffices
to show that U1 ̸= U2 to conclude V = U1 + U2 . Indeed, w = (1, 3, 0, 0) ∈ U2 but
w ̸∈ U1 , since it does not satisfy the defining equation for U1 . Thus {v1 , v2 , v3 , w}
are linearly independent, and so they are a basis for V . In particular, U1 + U2 = V .
Practice Midterm Examination - Page 3 of 7 April 26 2024
(c) (5 points) Find a vector v ∈ V such that U1 ∩ U2 = span(v).
Solution. It suffices to solve the equations for U1 and U2 simultaneously:
x1 + x2 + 2x3 + x4 = 0
3x1 − x2 + 8x3 = 0
x4 = 0
For instance, the vector v = (10, −2, −4, 0) belongs to both U1 and U2 and it is
non-zero. So we conclude U1 ∩ U2 = span(v).
(d) (5 points) Prove that V ̸= U1 ⊕ U2 .
Solution. V = U1 ⊕ U2 if and only if V = U1 + U2 and V = U1 ∩ U2 = {0}. By
Part (c), V = U1 ∩ U2 = span(v) ̸= {0}, so V is no a direct sum of U1 and U2 .
Practice Midterm Examination - Page 4 of 7 April 26 2024
2. (25 points) Consider the vector space V = R3 and the vectors
v1 = (3, 4, −1), v2 = (0, 2, 5), v3 = (−6, −2, 17).
(a) (10 points) Decide whether v3 is a linear combination of {v1 , v2 }.
Solution. We can try to write v3 = a1 v1 + a2 v2 . Since the first component of v2 is
zero, this forces a1 = −2. Then a2 = 3 gives −2v1 + 3v2 = v3 .
(b) (5 points) Is v1 a linear combination of {v2 , v3 }?
Solution. Yes, since v3 is a linear combination of v1 , v2 , then v1 ∈ span(v2 , v1 ) =
span(v2 , v3 ).
Practice Midterm Examination - Page 5 of 7 April 26 2024
(c) (5 points) Show that (1, 0, 0) is not a linear combination of {v1 , v2 , v3 }.
Solution. Since v3 ∈ span(v1 , v2 ), (1, 0, 0) being a linear combination of {v1 , v2 }
would imply that there exists a1 , a2 ∈ R such that
(1, 0, 0) = a1 v1 + a2 v2 .
There is no solutions for these equations so (1, 0, 0) ̸∈ span(v1 , v2 ).
(d) (5 points) Find a vector w ∈ V such that V = span(v1 , v2 ) ⊕ span(w).
Solution. We can directly take w = (1, 0, 0).
Practice Midterm Examination - Page 6 of 7 April 26 2024
3. (25 points) Consider V = Rn for some n ∈ N. Solve the following parts.
(a) (20 points) Let f : Rn −→ R be a linear function which is not equal to the zero
function. Show that the subset
Uf := {v ∈ V : f (v) = 0}
is a vector subspace.
Solution. As in Problem 1, since f is a linear function,
f (v1 + v2 ) = f (v1 ) + f (v2 ) = 0, ∀v1 , v2 ∈ Uf ,
f (a · v1 ) = a · f (v1 ) = 0, ∀v1 ∈ Uf .
Therefore U1 ⊆ V is a subspace, as it is closed under sum and scalar multiplication.
(b) (5 points) Show that there exists a w ∈ V such that V = U ⊕ span(w).
Solution. Note that Uf ̸= V , as there is a non-zero vector w ∈ V such that
w ̸∈ U1 because f is not the zero function. Since dim(Uf ) = n − 1, we must have
V = U ⊕ span(w) for this particular w.
Practice Midterm Examination - Page 7 of 7 April 26 2024
4. (25 points) For each of the sentences below, circle whether they are true or false. (You
do not need to justify your answer.)
(a) (5 points) Let V = R[x]. Then U = {p(x) ∈ V : p(0) = 1} is a vector subspace.
(1) True. (2) False.
(b) (5 points) Let V = R[x]. Then U = {p(x) ∈ V : p(0) = p(1)} is a vector subspace.
(1) True. (2) False.
(c) (5 points) If v ∈ V is a vector, there exist different vectors w1 , w2 ∈ V such that
v + w1 = 0 and v + w2 = 0.
(1) True. (2) False.
(d) (5 points) The function f : R3 −→ R2 given by
f (x1 , x2 , x3 ) = (x1 − 2x2 + 6x3 , x1 + 4x2 − 1)
is a linear function.
(1) True. (2) False.
(e) (5 points) The function f : R2 −→ R4 given by
f (x1 , x2 ) = (x1 , x2 , 3x1 x2 , x1 + x42 )
is a linear function.
(1) True. (2) False.
