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Hi guys. I've solved an exercise but the solution sheet says what doesn't make sense to me. Could you please help with this problem?
Determine if vector b is a linear combination of vectors a1, a2, a3.
a1=[1, -2, 0], a2=[0, 1, 2], a3=[5, -6, 8], b=[2, -1, 6].
b is a linear combination when there exist scalars x1, x2, x3 such that x1*a1 + x2*a2 + x3*a3 = b. right?
I put a's in a coefficient matrix and b in the augmented column. [a1 a2 a3 | b]. Row-reduced it produces a consistent system (although I get x3 a free variable - third row all zeroes). But the solution sheet says b is not a linear combination of the a vectors. Where is the catch? Should the RREF have a unique solution?
Thank you.
Determine if vector b is a linear combination of vectors a1, a2, a3.
a1=[1, -2, 0], a2=[0, 1, 2], a3=[5, -6, 8], b=[2, -1, 6].
b is a linear combination when there exist scalars x1, x2, x3 such that x1*a1 + x2*a2 + x3*a3 = b. right?
I put a's in a coefficient matrix and b in the augmented column. [a1 a2 a3 | b]. Row-reduced it produces a consistent system (although I get x3 a free variable - third row all zeroes). But the solution sheet says b is not a linear combination of the a vectors. Where is the catch? Should the RREF have a unique solution?
Thank you.