Question about row/column/nullspace

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the properties of a 3x5 matrix, specifically focusing on the row space, column space, and nullspace. Participants are exploring the dimensionality and membership of these spaces in relation to their respective vector spaces.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are questioning the dimensionality of the row space, column space, and nullspace, particularly whether the nullspace can be considered a subspace of ##\mathbb{R}^3## or ##\mathbb{R}^5##. There are discussions about the definitions of these spaces and how they relate to the dimensions of the matrix.

Discussion Status

There is an ongoing exploration of definitions and properties related to the nullspace and its relationship to the matrix dimensions. Some participants have offered clarifications and definitions, while others are still questioning and refining their understanding of the concepts involved.

Contextual Notes

Participants are grappling with the implications of matrix dimensions on the spaces defined by the matrix, and there is a recognition of the need for clear definitions to navigate these concepts effectively.

Arnoldjavs3
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Homework Statement


If we have a 3x5 matrix:

The row space is in r5, the col space is in r3, and the nullspace is in r3 correct?
Because you would need 5 components to be a member of r5 so the col space cannot be a member of r5 correct?

Here is the question: http://prntscr.com/evo91g

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


Am I getting something fundamentally wrong here? Or is the question just wrong? I believe I'm right for reasons mentioned above.
 
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Arnoldjavs3 said:

Homework Statement


If we have a 3x5 matrix:

The row space is in r5, the col space is in r3, and the nullspace is in r3 correct?
Because you would need 5 components to be a member of r5 so the col space cannot be a member of r5 correct?

Here is the question: http://prntscr.com/evo91g

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


Am I getting something fundamentally wrong here? Or is the question just wrong? I believe I'm right for reasons mentioned above.

The nullspace is a subspace of ##\mathbb{R}^5##, right? Therefore the nullspace is not in ##\mathbb{R}^3##. For the rest you seem correct. It seems the question is wrong.
 
Math_QED said:
The nullspace is a subspace of ##\mathbb{R}^5##, right? Therefore the nullspace is not in ##\mathbb{R}^3##. For the rest you seem correct. It seems the question is wrong.

Why would it be in r5 though? Each vector in the nullspace will only have 3 components
 
Arnoldjavs3 said:
Why would it be in r5 though? Each vector in the nullspace will only have 3 components

Can you give me your definition of null space?
 
Math_QED said:
Can you give me your definition of null space?

The subspace of linear combinations that make your system equal to 0?

edit: Now that I think about it, when A is a 3x5 matrix, you need a 5x1 matrix vector X. Since X is 5x1, that means the nullspace is in r5 since X represents all vectors inside the nullspace?
 
Arnoldjavs3 said:
The subspace of linear combinations that make your system equal to 0?

edit: Now that I think about it, when A is a 3x5 matrix, you need a 5x1 matrix vector X. Since X is 5x1, that means the nullspace is in r5 since X represents all vectors inside the nullspace?

The null space and the row space of a matrix will always be sub-spaces of the same vector space (why?).The column space and row space of a matrix will be sub-spaces of the vector space whose dimension is the number of elements in the vector. So if we have a 12x23 matrix, its row space is a sub-space of R23 and its column space is a sub-space of R12. From here I assume you can figure out the correct solution.
 
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Adgorn said:
The null space and the row space of a matrix will always be sub-spaces of the same vector space (why?).The column space and row space of a matrix will be sub-spaces of the vector space whose dimension is the number of elements in the vector. So if we have a 12x23 matrix, its row space is a sub-space of R23 and its column space is a sub-space of R12. From here I assume you can figure out the correct solution.
Yup! Makes sense now. Just find it interesting that I understand the nullspace and can compute it easily but I still abstract details like that.
 
Arnoldjavs3 said:
The subspace of linear combinations that make your system equal to 0?

edit: Now that I think about it, when A is a 3x5 matrix, you need a 5x1 matrix vector X. Since X is 5x1, that means the nullspace is in r5 since X represents all vectors inside the nullspace?

Yes, your reasoning is correct. That's a very bad definition of null space, though.

A better definition would be: Let ##A## be an ##m \times n## matrix.

##Null(A) := \{x \in \mathbb{R}^n| Ax = 0\}##

Or if you are familiar with linear mappings: Let ##f: V \rightarrow W## be a linear mapping:

##Ker(f) := \{x \in V|f(x) = 0\}##
 
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