Matrix representation for a Linear Transformation

Dr. A V Prajeesh October 16, 2021 1 / 16

Let T : V → W be a linear transformation. Also B = {α1 , α2 , . . . , αn } be an ordered basis of
V and B 0 = {β1 , β2 , . . . , βm } be an ordered basis for W .

Here dim(V ) = n and dim(W ) = m.

Now,

T α1 = A1,1 β1 + A2,1 β2 + · · · + Am,1 βm

T α2 = A1,2 β1 + A2,2 β2 + · · · + Am,2 βm
T α3 = A1,3 β1 + A2,3 β2 + · · · + Am,3 βm
:
T αn = A1,n β1 + A2,n β2 + · · · + Am,n βm
0
And we write [T ]B
B =A
Dr. A V Prajeesh October 16, 2021 2 / 16
This m × n matrix A is called the matrix of T relative to the basis B and B 0

In the case of linear operators, that is linear transformations from V to itself. If B is an

ordered basis of V then the matrix of T relative to the basis B is an n × n matrix.

T α1 = A1,1 α1 + A2,1 α2 + · · · + An,1 αn

T α2 = A1,2 α1 + A2,2 α2 + · · · + An,2 αn
T α3 = A1,3 α1 + A2,3 α2 + · · · + An,3 αn
:
T αn = A1,n α1 + A2,n α2 + · · · + An,n αn

And we write [T ]B = A

Dr. A V Prajeesh October 16, 2021 3 / 16

Example: Let F be a field and let T be the operator on F 2 defined by

T (x1 , x2 ) = (x1 , 0)

It is easy to see that T is a linear operator on F 2 . Let B be the standard ordered basis for
F 2 , B = {e1 , e2 }. Now
Te1 = T (1, 0) = (1, 0) = 1e1 + 0e2

Te2 = T (0, 1) = (0, 0) = 0e1 + 0e2

so the matrix of T in the ordered basis B is
 
1 0
[T ]B =  
0 0

Dr. A V Prajeesh October 16, 2021 4 / 16

Example: Let V = P3 (x) with the field R. Here the elements aare of the form
f (x) = c0 + c1 x + c2 x 2 + c3 x 3 . The differentiation operator D maps V into V , since D is
’degree decreasing.’ Let B be the ordered basis for V consisting of the four polynomials
f1 , f2 , f3 , f4 defined by fj (x) = x j−1 . Then, f1 (x) = 1, f2 (x) = x, f3 (x) = x 2 , f4 (x) = x 3 .

(Df1 ) (x) = 0, Df1 = 0 = 0f1 + 0f2 + 0f3 + 0f4

(Df2 ) (x) = 1, Df2 = 1 = 1f1 + 0f2 + 0f3 + 0f4
(Df3 ) (x) = 2x, Df3 = 2x = 0f1 + 2f2 + 0f3 + 0f4
(Df4 ) (x) = 3x 2 , Df4 = 3x 2 = 0f1 + 0f2 + 3f3 + 0f4

Dr. A V Prajeesh October 16, 2021 5 / 16

so that the matrix of D in the ordered basis B is
 
0 1 0 0
 
 0 0 2 0 
[D]B = 
 

 0 0 0 3 
 
0 0 0 0

Dr. A V Prajeesh October 16, 2021 6 / 16

Let V be a vectorspace over the field F . and let α ∈ V . If B = {α1 , α2 , · · · , αn } is an ordered
basis for V , then
α = c1 α1 + c2 α2 + · · · + cn αn
The coordinate vector of α with respect to the ordered basis B is [c1 c2 ... cn ]T

Dr. A V Prajeesh October 16, 2021 7 / 16

Change of basis matrix
Suppose V is an n-dimensional vectorspace and B = {α1 .α2 , · · · , αn } and
B 0 = {α10 .α20 , · · · , αn0 } be two ordered basis of V then,

α10 = P1,1 α1 + P2,1 α2 + · · · + Pn,1 αn

α20 = P1,2 α1 + P2,2 α2 + · · · + Pn,2 αn
α30 = P1,3 α1 + P2,3 α2 + · · · + Pn,3 αn
:
αn0 = P1,n α1 + P2,n α2 + · · · + Pn,n αn

Then the matrix P is called the change of basis matrix from the basis B to B 0 .

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Example: Consider the vectorspace R 2 (R) and the basis B = {(1, 2), (3, 5)} and
B 0 = {(1, −1), (1, −2)}
(1, 1) = P1,1 (1, 2) + P2,1 (3, 5)
(1,-2) = P1,2 (1, 2) + P2,2 (3, 5)
so we get,
P1,1 + 3P2,1 = 1
2P1,1 + 5P2,1 = −1

P1,2 + 3P2,2 = 1
2P1,2 + 5P2,2 = −2

Solving which we get P1,1 = −8, P2,1 = 3, P1,2 = −11 and P2,2 = 4

Dr. A V Prajeesh October 16, 2021 9 / 16

  
−8 −11
Thus the change of matrix P from basis B to B 0 is  
3 4

If we want to find the change of matrix Q from basis B 0 to B, then Q = P −1

Application of change of matrix:

1. If P is the change of matrix from basis B to B 0 , then [α]B = P[α]B0 for all α ∈ V and
P−1 [α]B = [α]B0
2. If T is a linear operator on a vectorspace V and if P is the change of matrix from basis B
to B 0 , then [T ]B0 = P −1 [T ]B P

That is they are similar matrices.

Dr. A V Prajeesh October 16, 2021 10 / 16

Theorem: Let V be an n-dimensional vector space over the field F and W an m-dimensional
vector space over F. Let B be an ordered basis for V and B 0 an ordered basis for W. For each
linear transformation T from V into W, there is an m × n matrix A with entries in F such that

[Tα]B 0 = A[α]B

for every vector α in V. Furthermore, T → A is a one-one correspondence between the set of

all linear transformations from V into W and the set of all m× n matrices over the field F.

Note: Now determine the rank T its enough to find the rank of the [T ]B , Similarly, Nullity of
T . To check whether T is non-singular its enough to check whether [T ]B is non-singular.

Dr. A V Prajeesh October 16, 2021 11 / 16

Properties:

• If T : V → W is a linear transformation and B and B 0 be the ordered basis of V and W

0 0 0
respectively, then [cT + S]B B B
B = c[T ]B + [S]B .
• If T : V → W and S : W → U are linear transformations, with B, B 0 and B 00 the ordered
basis of V , W and U respectively, then the matrix of the linear transformation SoT or ST is
00 0
BA, where [S]B B
B0 = B and [T ]B = A.
• If T is an invertibe linear operator then T −1 B = [T ]−1
 
B

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Assignment Questions:
1. Let T and U be the linear operators on R 2 defined by

T (x1 , x2 ) = (x2 , x1 ) and U (x1 , x2 ) = (x1 , 0)

Give rules like the ones defining T and U for each of the transformations
(U + T ), UT , TU, T 2 , U 2
2. Find a basis and dimension of the subspace W of R3 where (a)
W = {(a, b, c) : a + b + c = 0}, (b) W = {(a, b, c) : (a = b = c)}
3. Let F be the linesr operator on R2 defined by F (x, y ) = (2x + y , 3x + 2y ).
(a) Show that F is invertible and find F −1
4. If T : V → W is a linear transformation, then prove that Range T is a subspace of W and
Nullspace of T is a subspace of V .
Dr. A V Prajeesh October 16, 2021 13 / 16
5. Let F : R4 → R3 be the linear mapping(linear transformation) defined by
F (x, y , z, t) = (x − y + z + t, x + 2z − t, x + y + 3z − 3t).
Find the matrix representation of F with respect to the ordered basis
B = {(1, 1, 1, 1), (1, 1, 1, 0), (1, 1, 0, 0), (1, 0, 0, 0, )} and B 0 = {(1, 1, 1), (0, 1, 0), (1, 0, 0)}.
6. 1. Let T be the linear operator on C 2 defined by T (x1 , x2 ) = (x1 , 0) . Let B be the
standard ordered basis for C 2 and let B 0 = {α1 , α2 } be the ordered basis defined by
α1 = (1, i), α2 = (−i, 2)
(a) What is the matrix of T relative to the pair B, B 0 ?
(b) What is the matrix of T relative to the pair B 0 , B?
(c) What is the matrix of T in the ordered basis B 0 ?
(d) What is the matrix of T in the ordered basis {α2 , α1 }?

Dr. A V Prajeesh October 16, 2021 14 / 16

7. Let T be the linear transformation from R 3 into R 2 defined by

T (x1 , x2 , x3 ) = (x1 + x2 , 2x3 − x1 )

(a) If B is the standard ordered basis for R 3 and B 0 is the standard ordered basis for R 2 , what
is the matrix of T relative to the pair B, B 0 ?
(b) If β = {α1 , α2 , α3 } and B 0 = {β1 , β2 }, where

α1 = (1, 0, −1), α2 = (1, 1, 1), α3 = (1, 0, 0), β1 = (0, 1), β2 = (1, 0)

what is the matrix of T relative to the pair B, B 0 ?

8. Suppose U and W are distinct four-dimensional subspaces of a vector space V , where
dim V = 6. Find the possible dimensions of U ∩ W .

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9. The vector space V is said to be the direct sum of its subspaces U and W , denoted by
V = U ⊕ W if every v ∈ V can be written in one and only one way as v = u + w where
u ∈ U and w ∈ W . The following theorem characterizes such a decomposition.
THEOREM: The vector space V is the direct sum of its subspaces U and W if and only if: (i)
V = U + W , (ii) U ∩ W = {0}.
Now consider the vector space V = R3
(a) Let U be the xy -plane and let W be the yz-plane; that is,
U = {(a, b, 0) : a, b ∈ R} and W = {(0, b, c) : b, c ∈ R}. Then is R3 a direct sum of U
and W
(b) Let U be the xy -plane and let W be the z-axis; that is,
U = {(a, b, 0) : a, b ∈ R} and W = {(0, 0, c) : c ∈ R}. Is R3 a direct sum of U and W .

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