In this worksheet, the user will enter vectors (possibly random) interactively and explore taking various combinations of these vectors for solving systems.
John Travis
Mississippi College
Linear Combinations of vectors and Span
The Span of a set of vectors {$A_1 A_2 ... A_n$} is the collection of vectors which can be obtained by taking a linear combination $x_1A_1+ x_2A_2+ ... +x_nA_n$of those vectors.
Visually, this means determining whether an arbitrary vectors b can be written as a linear combination of the vectors $ [ A_1 A_2 ... A_n ] = A$. That is, you can add the n (possibly scaled) vectors together using the paralleogram law to obtain b.
Starting with a two-dimensional setting, see if you can find values of $x_1$ and $x_2$ so that a linear combination of $A_1$ and $A_2$ equals the red vector $b$.
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Experiment in the 2D case above by playing with several of the randomly generated problems. If you don't like one that the computer has come up with, just generate a nicer one.
Without using the "exact answer" selection above, approximate the solution to the following linear system using the routine above. Double click on this cell and place your answer in the slot below.
$3x_1 + 5x_2 = 12$
$-x_1 + 7x_2 = 0$
Your answer: $x_1 =$ _______ and $x_2 =$ _________
For a little harder problem in 3D, see if you can find values of $x_1, x_2$ and $x_3$ so that a linear combination of $A_1, A_2$ and $A_3$ equals the red vector $b$.
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Using this worksheet, solve problem number 14 on page 38 of the text. Place your answers below.
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[1 0 0 1] [0 0 1 1] [0 0 0 2] [0 0 0 0] [1 0 0 1] [0 0 1 1] [0 0 0 2] [0 0 0 0] |
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