Find the rank of A = [[1, 2, 3], [2, 4, 6], [0, 1, 1]].
Solution
Problem
Find the rank of A = [[1, 2, 3], [2, 4, 6], [0, 1, 1]].
Step 1: Write the matrix.
A = [[1, 2, 3], [2, 4, 6], [0, 1, 1]]
The rank is the number of pivot rows after row reduction.
Step 2: Eliminate the first entry in row 2.
Use:
R2 → R2 - 2R1
The second row becomes:
[2, 4, 6] - 2[1, 2, 3] = [0, 0, 0]
So the matrix becomes:
[[1, 2, 3], [0, 0, 0], [0, 1, 1]]
Step 3: Move the nonzero row above the zero row.
Swap rows 2 and 3:
[[1, 2, 3], [0, 1, 1], [0, 0, 0]]
Step 4: Identify the pivot rows.
Row 1 contains a pivot in column 1.
Row 2 contains a pivot in column 2.
Row 3 is a zero row.
There are 2 pivot rows.
Step 5: State the rank.
Therefore:
rank(A) = 2.
Result
rank(A) = 2