Rank of a Matrix - Explained by an Expert

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    Matrix rank
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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around understanding the rank of a matrix, specifically focusing on a given matrix A and the relationship between its rows and columns. Participants are exploring the concepts of linear independence and how they relate to determining the rank.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the definitions of row rank and column rank, questioning how to identify independent rows versus independent columns. Some suggest transforming the matrix into echelon form to clarify the independent rows.

Discussion Status

There is an active exploration of the concepts, with participants offering different perspectives on the rank of the matrix. Some have provided guidance on performing row operations to achieve echelon form, while others express confusion about the independence of rows versus columns.

Contextual Notes

Participants are grappling with the implications of linear independence in both rows and columns, and there is a noted lack of consensus on the rank of the matrix, with conflicting statements about whether it is 2 or 3.

NonameNoface
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Well this is eating my head ! or am I plain stupid ? ...

The rank of a Matrix , is determined by the number of independent rows or columns ..Fine .. here's a matrix ..

A = 2 4 1 3
-1 -2 1 0
0 0 2 2
3 6 2 5

Apparently " the second column is twice the first column, and that the fourth column equals the sum of the first and the third. The first and the third columns are linearly independent, so the rank of A is two "

here is the part where I am getting confused .. what if I consider the rows ..I see that all rows are linearly independent ... If somebody coudl explain this to me please ...

Thanks a lot
Regards
Mano
 
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don't matter about those columns or rows. i think that you should only try to transorm that matrix into an echelon one and then you'll see yourself clearly independent rows which define the rank of that matrix
 
The row rank of a matrix is the number of linearly independent rows, and similarly, the column rank is the number of linearly independent columns. Most importantly, note that the two are always equal!

With
<br /> A = \left [ \begin{array}{cccc}<br /> 2 &amp; 4 &amp; 1 &amp; 3 \\<br /> -1 &amp; -2 &amp; 1 &amp; 0 \\<br /> 0 &amp; 0 &amp; 2 &amp; 2 \\<br /> 3 &amp; 6 &amp; 2 &amp; 5<br /> \end{array} \right ]<br />,
and since we know the column rank of this matrix is 2, can you now find a way to express any 2 of the rows as a linear combination of the others?
 
Last edited:
NonameNoface said:
I see that all rows are linearly independent

Write down, don't just look.
 
NonameNoface said:
Well this is eating my head ! or am I plain stupid ? ...

The rank of a Matrix , is determined by the number of independent rows or columns ..Fine .. here's a matrix ..

A = 2 4 1 3
-1 -2 1 0
0 0 2 2
3 6 2 5

Apparently " the second column is twice the first column, and that the fourth column equals the sum of the first and the third. The first and the third columns are linearly independent, so the rank of A is two "

here is the part where I am getting confused .. what if I consider the rows ..I see that all rows are linearly independent ... If somebody coudl explain this to me please ...

Thanks a lot
Regards
Mano
hey ... the rank of the matrix is 3.do the following operations to get echelon form...
r1<->r2;
r1<->-r1;
r2-->r2-2r1;
r4-->3r1-r4;
r4-->r3+r2+r4;
 
Last edited:
madhusudan said:
hey ... the rank of the matrix is 2.do the following operations to get echelon form...
r1<->r2;
r1<->-r1;
r2-->r2-2r1;
r4-->3r1-r4;
r4-->r3+r2+r4;

can you get it
 
NonameNoface said:
I see that all rows are linearly independent

Then perhaps a trip to the mathematical optician is in order. I can see that if I add the first row and twice the second row that...
 

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