An×n,n > 1. If (1, 0, 1, 0, 0, ..., 0) ∈ Rn belongs to the null space of A then
Correct Answer :
|A| = 0
Solution :
The correct option is:
|A| = 0
Let us understand why this option is correct by breaking down the definition of the null space of a matrix and its relation to the determinant and invertibility of the matrix.
First, recall the definition of the null space of a matrix. For an matrix , the null space (or kernel) of , denoted by , is the set of all vectors such that:
where is the zero vector in .
In this problem, we are given that a specific vector belongs to the null space of .
Since has non-zero components (specifically, the first and third components are 1), it is a non-zero vector:
Because and , the matrix equation has a non-trivial (non-zero) solution.
According to the fundamental properties of square matrices, the homogeneous system of linear equations has a non-trivial solution if and only if the matrix is singular (not invertible).
A square matrix is singular if and only if its determinant is equal to zero:
Therefore, since there exists a non-zero vector in the null space of , the determinant of must be zero, confirming that is the correct option.
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