Find a Basis for the Subspace of R4

[Tempest Desh]

Homework Statement

Find a basis for the subspace of R⁴ spanned by S.

Homework Equations

S: {(2,9,-2,53), (-3,2,3,-2), (8,-3,-8,17), (0,-3,0,15)}

I've attempted this using a matrix and row reducing it. I'm just not sure if there's another simpler way, as I keep on getting incorrect numbers in the matrix, when I try and put it in row-echelon format. Thanks in advance for any and all assistance.

See you on the flipside,

Tempest Desh

 

[Stephen Tashi]

Have you studied the Gram-Schmidt process?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gram–Schmidt_process

 

[Rasalhague]

A quick way to apply your idea. Go to http://www.wolframalpha.com/ and enter:

RowReduce[{{2, 9, -2, 53}, {-3, 2, 3, -2}, {8, -3, -8, 17}, {0, -3, 0, 15}}]

 

[Dick]

It really might help a lot to figure out what you are doing wrong if you showed us what you got when you row reduced it. Wouldn't it? That is the right way to do it.