Procedure for orking out the basis of the kernel of a linear transformation.

In summary, the conversation discusses working on a problem involving transformations of a vector and finding the basis of its kernel. The individual has worked out the transformed matrix and reduced it to reduced row echelon form. They then set the equations to zero in order to find the kernel and wrote them in vector parametric form. Finally, it is confirmed that the two matrices form a set for the basis of the kernel of the transformation.
  • #1
sid9221
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I am working on a problem dealing with transformations of a vector and finding the basis of its kernel. Now I have worked out everything below but after reading the definitions I am a bit confused, hence just want verification if the procedure I am following is correct.

My transformed matrix is given below (R4->R2)

\begin{bmatrix}3 & 1 & 2 & -1 \\2 & 4 & 1 & -1 \end{bmatrix}

Reducing to RREF

\begin{bmatrix}1 & 0 & 7/10 & -3/10 \\0 & 1 & -1/10 & -1/10 \end{bmatrix}

Now I equal these to zero as I want to work out the kernel as given in the definition of kernel.

Then the equations can be read out and written in "vector parametric form" as(I thinks that's what its called).

{\begin{bmatrix}-7/10 \\ 1/10 \\ 1 \\ 0 \end{bmatrix}, \begin{bmatrix}3/10 \\ 1/10 \\ 0 \\ 1 \end{bmatrix}}

^^ The 2 matrices above form a set for the basis of the kernel of the transformation right ?
 
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  • #2
Right.
 

Related to Procedure for orking out the basis of the kernel of a linear transformation.

1. What is a linear transformation?

A linear transformation is a function that maps one vector space to another in a linear manner. This means that the output of the function is a linear combination of its inputs.

2. What is the kernel of a linear transformation?

The kernel of a linear transformation is the set of all inputs that map to the zero vector in the output space. In other words, it is the set of all vectors that are mapped to the origin (0,0) in a coordinate plane.

3. Why is finding the basis of the kernel important?

Finding the basis of the kernel allows us to have a deeper understanding of the linear transformation and its properties. It also helps us to determine the dimension of the kernel, which is crucial in many applications of linear algebra.

4. What is the procedure for working out the basis of the kernel?

The procedure for working out the basis of the kernel involves finding the null space of the matrix representing the linear transformation. This can be done by performing row reduction on the augmented matrix and identifying the pivot columns. The basis of the kernel will be the columns in the original matrix that correspond to the non-pivot columns in the reduced row-echelon form.

5. Can the basis of the kernel have more than one vector?

Yes, the basis of the kernel can have more than one vector. In fact, the dimension of the kernel can be any positive integer, and the basis will consist of that many linearly independent vectors. It is also possible for the basis to be an empty set, in which case the kernel would only contain the zero vector.

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