The Rank of a

Matrix
Definition:
Let
𝑎11 𝑎12 … 𝑎1𝑛
𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎2𝑛
A= …
⋮ ⋮ ⋮
𝑎𝑚1 𝑎𝑚2 … 𝑎𝑚𝑛
be an m x n matrix. The rows of A,
𝑋1 = (𝑎11 , 𝑎12 , . . . , 𝑎1𝑛 )
𝑋2 = (𝑎21 ,𝑎22 , . . . , 𝑎2𝑛 )
…

𝑋𝑚 = (𝑎𝑚1 ,𝑎𝑚2 , . . . , 𝑎𝑚𝑛 )

considered as vectors in 𝑅𝑛 , span a subspace of 𝑅𝑛 , called the row space
of A. Similarly the columns of A,
 𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎1𝑛
𝑎 𝑎 𝑎
𝑌1 = 21 , 𝑌2 = 22 , ⋯ , 𝑌𝑛 = 2𝑛
⋮ ⋮ ⋮
𝑎𝑚1 𝑎𝑚2 𝑎𝑚𝑛
considered as vectors in 𝑅𝑚 , span a subspace of 𝑅𝑚 , called the column
space of A.
Theorem 1:
If A and B are two m x n row (column) equivalent
matrices, then the row (column) spaces of A and B are
equal.
Example 1:

Find a basis for the subspace V of 𝑅5 that is spanned by

S={(1, -2, 0, 3, -4), (3, 2, 8, 1, 4), (2, 3, 7, 2, 3), (-1, 2, 0, 4, -3)}.
The procedure for finding a basis for the subspace V of 𝑅𝑛 given by
V = span S, where S= {𝑿𝟏 , 𝑿𝟐 , . . . , 𝑿𝒌 } is a set of vectors in 𝑅𝑛 that
are given in row form, is as follows.
STEP 1: Form the matrix
𝑿𝟏
𝑿𝟐
A=
⋮
𝑿𝒌
Whose rows are the given vectors in S.
STEP 2: Transform A to reduced row echelon form, obtaining the
matrix B.
STEP 3:the nonzero rows of B form a basis for V.
Definition:

The dimension of the row space of A is called the row

rank of A, and the dimension of the column space of A
is called the column rank of A.
Remarks:
1. If A and B are row equivalent, then
row rank A = row rank B
2. If A and B are column equivalent, then
column rank A = column rank B
Example 2:

The matrix A in Example 1 has a row rank equal to 3.

Example 3:

Find the column rank of the matrix A in Example 1.

Example 4:
1 −1 1 3 1
S= −2 , 1 , −3 , −5 , −4 ,
1 1 3 1 5

and let V be the subspace of 𝑅3 given by V = span S.

Find a basis for V.
Theorem 2:
The row rank and column rank of the m x n
matrix A = 𝑎𝑖𝑗 are equal.
Definition:
We now merely refer to the rank of an m x n matrix,
and write rank A.
The procedure for computing the rank of the matrix A is
as follows.

STEP 1:Using elementary row operations, transform A

to a matrix B in reduced row echelon form.

STEP 2: Rank A = the number of nonzero rows of B.

Theorem 3:
An n x n matrix is non-singular if and only if rank
A = n.
Corollary 1:
If A is an n x n matrix, then rank A = n if and only if
𝐀 ≠ 0.
Corollary 2:
Let S= {𝐗 𝟏 , 𝐗 𝟐 , . . . , 𝐗 𝐧 } be a set of n vectors in 𝑹𝒏 and let
A be the matrix whose rows (columns) are the vectors in
S. Then S is linearly independent if and only if 𝐀 ≠ 0.
Corollary 3:
The homogeneous system Ax = 0, where A is n x n, has
a nontrivial solution if and only rank A < n.
Example 5:
Let
1 2 0
A= 0 1 3
2 1 3

If we transform A to reduced row echelon form B , we find

that B = 𝑰𝟑 (verify). Thus rank A = 3 and A is non-singular.
Example 6:
Let
1 2 0
A= 1 1 −3
1 3 3
Then A is row equivalent to
1 0 −6
B= 0 1 3
0 0 0

A matrix in reduced row echelon form. Hence rank A < 3, and A is

singular. Moreover, AX = 0 has a nontrivial solution.
Example 7:
1 0 1
Is A= 2 1 2 nonsingular?
1 0 −1
We may summarize our results on homogenous systems, non-singular
matrices, and rank by noting that the following statements are
equivalent for an n x n matrix A.

1. A is non-singular
2. AX = 0 has only the trivial solution.
3. A is row equivalent to 𝐈𝐧 .
4. The linear system AX = B has a unique solution for every n x 1
matrix B.
5. 𝐀 ≠ 𝟎.
6. A has rank n.
7. The rows (columns) of A form a linearly independent set of n
vectors in 𝑅𝑛 .
Theorem
The linear system Ax = b has a solution if and only if
rank A = rank [ A | b ]; that is, if and only if the ranks
of the coefficient and augmented matrices are equal.
Example 7:
Consider the linear system

2 1 3 𝑥1 1
1 −2 2 𝑥2 = 2
0 1 3 𝑥3 3

Since rank A = rank [ A | b ] = 3, the linear system

has a solution. (VERIFY)
Example 8:
The linear system

1 2 3 𝑥1 4
1 −3 4 𝑥2 = 5
2 −1 7 𝑥3 6

has no solution, because rank A = 2 rank [ A | B ] = 3.

(VERIFY)