令x(1,1,3,1)+y(3,-1,2,4)+z(2,2,7,-1)=(0,0,0,0),有
x+3y+2z=0且x-y+2z=0且3x+2y+7z=0且x+4y-z=0,这个方程组有且只有零解,即x=y=z=0,故线性无关.