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Homework1 Solutions

This document discusses vector spaces and subspaces. It provides 15 examples of vector spaces and checks whether given sets of vectors satisfy the properties of a vector space or subspace. It verifies properties such as the zero vector belonging to a set, closure under addition and scalar multiplication, and investigates conditions under which the union of two subspaces is also a subspace.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
724 views3 pages

Homework1 Solutions

This document discusses vector spaces and subspaces. It provides 15 examples of vector spaces and checks whether given sets of vectors satisfy the properties of a vector space or subspace. It verifies properties such as the zero vector belonging to a set, closure under addition and scalar multiplication, and investigates conditions under which the union of two subspaces is also a subspace.

Uploaded by

Dominic Lombardi
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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MTH5102 Linear Algebra - Vector Spaces and Subspaces

Let V be a vector space and K is the underlying field of scalars.

(1) 0x = 0 for each x ∈ V .

Solution: 0x + 0x = (0 + 0)x = 0x = 0x + 0 = 0 + 0x. Hence,


by (1) 0x = 0.

(2) (−a)x = −(ax) = a(−x) for each a ∈ K and each x ∈ V .

Solution: The vector −(ax) is the unique element of V such


that ax + [−(ax)] = 0. Thus, if ax + (−a)x = 0, then by
the uniqueness of the additive inverse element we get −(ax) =
(−a)x. We have, ax + (−a)x = [(a + (−a)]x = 0x = 0. In par-
ticular, (-1) x = -x. So, a(−x) = a[(−1)x] = [a(−1)x] = (−a)x.

(3) Let S = {0, 1} and K = R. If f (t) = 2t + 1; g(t) = 1 + 4t − 2t2


and h(t) = 5t + 1 show that f = g and f + g = h.

Solution: Direct verification!

(4) Let V denote the set of ordered pairs of real numbers. If


(a1 , a2 ), (b1 , b2 ) are elements of V and c ∈ R, define
(a1 , a2 )+(b1 , b2 ) = (a1 +b1 , a2 b2 ) and c(a1 , a2 ) = (ca1 , a2 ). Is V a
vector space over R with these operations? Justify your answer.

Solution: Note that (0,1) works as the identity element. But,


elements of the form (a, 0) have no inverse defined. Hence not
a vector space.

(5) Let V denote the set of ordered pairs of real numbers. If


(a1 , a2 ), (b1 , b2 ) are elements of V and c ∈ R, define
(a1 , a2 ) + (b1 , b2 ) = (a1 + 2b1 , a2 + 3b2 ) and c(a1 , a2 ) = (ca1 , ca2 ).
Is V a vector space over R with these operations? Justify your
answer.

Solution: Not a vector space. Commutativity wrt addition


does not hold.

(6) If W is a subspace of a linear space V , show that 0 ∈ W , where


0 is the zero element of of V .

Solution: For any x ∈ W , and kx for any k ∈ K, we have


kx ∈ W as well as in V . Choose k = 0 which results in the 0
1
2

element of V by problem 1 above.

(7) Let C(R) denote the set of all continuous real valued functions
defined on R. Show that C(R) is a subspace of F (R, R). (space
of all functions on R.)

Solution: Check the necessary axioms.

(8) Show that the set W of the all symmetric (n × n) matrices is a


subspace of Mn×n (K). (A matrix A is symmetric if A = At .)

Solution: Check the necessary axioms.

(9) Show that the set of all (n × n) diagonal matrices is a subspace


of Mn×n (K).

Solution: Check the necessary axioms.

(10) Show that the set of all (n × n) matrices having trace equal to
zero is a subspace of Mn×n (K).(trace of a square matrix is the
sum of all its diagonal entries.)

Solution: Check the necessary axioms.

(11) Determine whether the following sets are subspaces of R3 or not,


under the usual operations of addition and scalar multiplication
defined on R3 with K = R.
(a) W1 = {(a1 , a2 , a3 ) ∈ R3 : a1 = 3a2 , and a3 = −a2 }.
(b) W2 = {(a1 , a2 , a3 ) ∈ R3 : a1 = a3 + 2}.
Solution: Direct verification for (i); Note that (3, 0, 1), (1, 0, −1)
are elelments of W2 but their sum is not in W2 . Hence not a
subspace.

(12) A m × n matrix A is called upper triangular if all the entries


lying below the diagonal entries are zero. That is, Aij = 0,
whenever i > j. Prove that the upper triangular matrices form
a subspace of Mm×n (K).

Solution: Clearly, the m × n null matrix 0 is upper triangu-


lar. For two m × n upper triangular matrices A = (aij ), B =
(bij ), A+B = (aij +bij ) is also upper triangular since aij +bij =
0, wheneveri > j. Similarly, kA is also UT for any k ∈ F .

(13) Let S be a nonempty set and K a field. Let C(S, K) denote


the set of all functions f ∈ F (S, K) such that f (s) = 0 for all
3

but a finite number of elements of S. Prove that C(S, K) is a


subspace of F (S, K).

Solution: For f (s) ≡ 0, the ”zero” element of F (S, K) is


clearly in C(S, K). Now, let f (si ) = ci , for ci 6= 0, si ∈ S, i =
1, ...., n, and g(ti ) = di , for di 6= 0, ti ∈ S, i = 1, .., m and for
all other s ∈ S let f (s) = 0, g(s) = 0. Now, (f + g)(s) = 0 for
all s ∈ S except for s = si , i = 1, .., n and s = ti , i = 1, ..., m.
Since f + g is again a function from S to K, that vanishes at all
but a finite number of elelments of S. Similarly, one can show
αf ∈ C(S, K).

(14) Prove that if W is a subspace of a vector space V and w1 , w2 , ..., wn


are in W then a1 w1 + a2 w2 + .... + an wn ∈ W for any scalars
a1 , ...., an .

Solution: Follows by repeated application of the subspace


requirements.

(15) Let W1 and W2 be subspaces of a vector space V . Prove that


W1 ∪ W2 is a subspace of V if and oly if W1 ⊆ W2 or W2 ⊆ W1 .

Solution: If either W1 ⊆ W2 or W2 ⊆ W1 , it is clear that


W1 ∪W2 is a subspace. On the other hand, suppose that W1 ∪W2
is a subspace and also that neither W1 ⊆ W2 nor W2 ⊆ W1 .
Then, we may find u ∈ W1 , v ∈ W2 such that u ∈ / W2 , v ∈
/ W1 .
Also, u + v ∈ W1 ∪ W2 leading to u + v being either in W1 or in
W2 . Show that both lead to a contradiction!

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