Proving the Existence of a Vector for a Matrix with Linearly Independent Rows

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on proving the existence of a vector \( p \) such that for a given \( m \times n \) matrix \( A \) with linearly independent rows, the equation \( Ap = e_1 \) holds true, where \( e_1 = (1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, \ldots, 0)^T \). Participants clarify that the problem is from an Optimization class, not Linear Algebra, and emphasize the importance of understanding the surjectivity of linear maps. The conclusion is that while the specific vector \( p \) cannot be determined without additional information about \( A \), the existence of such a vector is guaranteed due to the properties of linearly independent rows.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of linear independence in matrices
  • Knowledge of linear transformations and their properties
  • Familiarity with the concept of surjectivity in linear maps
  • Basic proficiency in matrix-vector multiplication
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the properties of linear transformations and their representations
  • Learn about the implications of row independence on the solutions of linear equations
  • Explore the concept of surjectivity in the context of linear algebra
  • Investigate the relationship between matrix rank and the existence of solutions to linear systems
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Students in optimization and linear algebra courses, mathematicians exploring linear mappings, and anyone interested in the theoretical foundations of matrix equations.

retspool
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So i have a problem in front of me


Let A be a m x n matrix whose rows are linearly independent. Prove that there exists a vector p such taht Ap = e_1 where e_1 =( 1, 0 , 0, 0, 0,0 ,0 ... 0)T



i don't even know where to begin
 
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Is that the complete problem statement? As it is, it's easy to find a counterexample, e.g., the zero matrix.
 


Yeah that is the complete problem statement.

but it is a question from my Optimization class and not Linear Algebra

I don't understand how the zero matrix will fit the bill
 


Sorry, I misread "independent" as "dependent." Never mind.
 


Maybe you know something about surjectivity of linear maps and the properties of the matrices that represent them?
Since you don't have detailed information about A, you can't explicitly find p, but also it doesn't really matter whether it is e_1 or any other vector of the right dimension.
 

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