The Change of Bases Matrix

This document contains the last part that I wanted to cover in the last
seminar.
Remember the following definition:
Let V be a K-vector space and B = {x1 , x2 , . . .} be a subset in V . The set
B is called a BASIS if v V , ! kj K such that v = k1 v1 + k2 v2 + . In
other words, every vector in V can be written as a unique linear combination
with the vectors from B. The scalars kj are called the COORDINATES of
V with respect to the B basis; so, this scalars depend on B.
Problem: see what happens with the coordinates of a vector when we
change the basis. Let B1 and B2 two arbitrary bases in V and va vector in
V . The formula is the following:
[v]B1 = CB1 B2 [v]B2

(?),

where [v]B1 represent the coordinates of the vector v in the B1 basis, [v]B2
represent the coordinates of the vector v in the B2 basis and CB1 B2 is the
change of bases matrix that we will determine in the next exercise.
EXERCISE: Let B0 = {e1 = (1, 0, 0), e2 = (0, 1, 0), e3 = (0, 0, 1)} be the
canonical basis in R3 . Let B 0 = {f1 = (1, 1, 1), f2 = (0, 1, 1), f3 = (1, 1, 0)}
and B 00 = {g1 = (0, 0, 1), g2 = (0, 1, 1), g3 = (1, 2, 3)}.
(a) Show that B 0 and B 00 are bases in R3 ;
(b) Determine CB0 B 0 , CB 00 B0 , CB 0 B 00 , CB 00 B 0 , CB0 B 00 and
B 0 B0 ;
C
1
(c) Find the componets [v]B 00 knowing that [v]B 0 = 1 .
5
CB0 B 0 =? Take every vector in the the second basis (here the second basis
is B 0 ) and write as a linear combination of the vectors from the first basis
(here the first basis is B0 ). For example: f1 = (1, 1, 1) = k1 e1 + k2 e2 + k3 e3 .
Determine the scalars (the coordinates)
k1 , k2 , k3 . You will get k1 = k2 = k3 .

1
This means that [f1 ]B0 = 1 . Do the same thing for f2 and f3 and
1

0

1 and [f3 ]B0 =

determine their coordinates. You will get [f2 ]B0 =
1

1
1 . Put this 3 vectors in a matrix and you get CB0 B 0 .
0
1

CB 00 B0 =? Take every vector in B0 and write it as a linear combination of

vectors from B 00 . For each of the three vectors of B0 you will obtain a linear
system of equations in the variables k1 , k2 , k3 . For example for
e2 you
will
1
get k1 = 1, k2 = 1, k3 = 0. So you have obtained [e2 ]B 00 = 1 . Do
0
it for e1 and e3 as well and put the vectors in a matrix (first the one for e1 ,
then the one for e2 and then the one for e3 ). This is how you get CB 00 B0 =.
Try and mimic this algorithm in order to find the matrices from (b).
Remark that the first matrix was the easiest to get. Why?
Use formula (?) in order to solve (c).