Paper 1, Section II, F

Linear Algebra
Part IB, 2020

Let Mn\mathcal{M}_{n} denote the vector space of n×nn \times n matrices over a field F=R\mathbb{F}=\mathbb{R} or C\mathbb{C}. What is the rankr(A)\operatorname{rank} r(A) of a matrix AMnA \in \mathcal{M}_{n} ?

Show, stating accurately any preliminary results that you require, that r(A)=nr(A)=n if and only if AA is non-singular, i.e. detA0\operatorname{det} A \neq 0.

Does Mn\mathcal{M}_{n} have a basis consisting of non-singular matrices? Justify your answer.

Suppose that an n×nn \times n matrix AA is non-singular and every entry of AA is either 0 or 1. Let cnc_{n} be the largest possible number of 1 's in such an AA. Show that cnn2n+1c_{n} \leqslant n^{2}-n+1. Is this bound attained? Justify your answer.

[Standard properties of the adjugate matrix can be assumed, if accurately stated.]