Math. Methods in Elect.

Eng'g – ELE

Training Exercises: Vector Spaces

SOLUTION
Question : Vector Spaces and Subspaces
a. Let *( ) +. The usual definitions of addition
and scalar multiplication of vectors in will be used. Show that is a vector space.
Let ( ), ( ), ( ) , and .
AXIOM : ( ) . The sum of two real numbers is also a real
number, i.e. if and , then . Therefore, is closed under addition.
AXIOM : ( ) . The sum of two real numbers, and , is
the same, regardless of their order.
AXIOM :
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
Therefore, ( ) ( )

AXIOM :
Let ( )
( ) ( )
Therefore, ( ) is the zero vector.
AXIOM :
Let ( )
( )
Therefore, ( ) is the opposite vector of .
AXIOM : ( ) . The product of two real numbers is also a real number, i.e.
if and , then . Therefore, is closed under scalar multiplication.

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AXIOM :
( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
Therefore, ( )
AXIOM :
( ) ( )( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
Therefore, ( )
AXIOM :
( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( )( ) ( )
Therefore, ( ) ( )
AXIOM :
( ) ( ) ( )
Finally, is a vector space.
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b. Show that *( ) + is a subspace of real vector space .
because ( ) .
Let ( ), ( ), and .
( ) . The sum of two real numbers is also a real number.
Therefore, is closed under addition.
( ) . The product of two real numbers is also a real number. Therefore, is
closed under scalar multiplication.
Finally, is a subspace of real vector space .
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c. Let denote the vector space , i.e. *( ) + and consists of all vectors
in whose components are equal, i.e. *( ) +. Show that is a subspace of .
because ( ) .
Let ( ), ( ), and .
( ) . Therefore, is closed under addition.
( ) . Therefore, is closed under scalar multiplication.
Finally, is a subspace of .
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Question : Linear Combinations
a. Consider the vectors ( ) and ( ) in . Find conditions on , , so that
( ) is a linear combination of and .
Let such that
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( )

Solving the first two equations, we get and . Substituting these

values in the equation , we get:
( ) is the required condition.
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b. Write the vector ( ) in as a linear combination of the vectors ( ) and
( ).
Let such that
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( )

and . Therefore,
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c. Write the vector ( ) in as a linear combination of the vectors ( ) and

( ).
Let such that
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( )

This is an inconsistent system of equations and so has no solution. Hence, cannot be written as
a linear combination of .
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d. Express ( ) in as a linear combination of the vectors ( )
( ) and ( ).
Let such that
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
( )

Check: ( )
Therefore,
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e. Express ( ) in as a linear combination of the vectors ( )

( ) and ( ).
Let such that
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
( )

Check: ( ) ( ) ( )
Therefore,
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f. Express ( ) in as a linear combination of the vectors ( )
( ), and ( ).
Let such that
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
( )

This is an inconsistent system of equations and so has no solution. Hence, cannot be written as
a linear combination of .
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g. Let be the vector space of all polynomials of degree less than or equal to . Write the
polynomial ( ) as a linear combination of the polynomials ( )
( ) ( ) , and ( ) .
Let such that ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

and .
Therefore, ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
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h. Express the polynomial ( ) in as a linear combination of the
polynomials ( ) ( ) , and ( ) .
Let such that ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( )

Check: ( ) ( )
Therefore, ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
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i. Express the polynomial ( ) in as a linear combination of the

polynomials ( ) ( ) and ( ) .
Let such that ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( )

Check: ( ) ( ) ( )
Therefore, ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
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Question : Linear Spans
a. Show that the vectors ( ) and ( ) span .
In order to show that vectors and span , it is sufficient to show that any vector in is a
linear combination of and . Let ( ) be an arbitrary vector in . Further, let

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

{ {

This is a consistent system of equations for all . So, every vector in is a linear
combination of
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b. Let be the vector space of all polynomials of degree less than or equal to . Show
that the polynomials span .
Any polynomial ( ) of degree less than or equal to can be written as ( )
where .
( ) is a linear combination of
Therefore, polynomials span .
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c. Is the vector ( ) in spanned by the vectors ( ),
( ), and ( )?
Let such that
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
( )

Clearly, this is an inconsistent system of equations. So, is not expressible as a linear

combination of . Therefore, is not spanned by the vectors .
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Question : Linear Dependence and Independence
a. If and are vectors in a vector space and , show that the set *
+ is linearly dependent set.
The vector in the set * + is a linear combination of the other two
vectors. Therefore, the set is linearly dependent.
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b. Show that the set *( )( )( )( )+ is a linearly dependent set of vectors

in .
Clearly ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) is a linear combination of ( )( ) and ( ).
Therefore, is a linearly dependent set of vectors.
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c. Show that the vectors ( ) ( ), and ( ) are linearly dependent in
.
Let such that
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( )

The system has non-trivial solutions. Therefore, the given vectors are linearly dependent in .
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d. Show that the vectors ( ) ( ), and ( ) are linearly independent

in .
Let such that
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( )

The above system of equations has trivial solution only, i.e. . Therefore, the
given vectors are linearly independent in .
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e. Suppose the vectors are linearly independent vectors in a vector space . Show that
the vectors are also linearly independent.
Let such that ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( )
Or , , are linearly independent (non-zero vectors). Therefore:

The above system of equations has trivial solution only, i.e. . Therefore, the
vectors are linearly independent.
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Question : Basis and Dimension

a. Show that the set * + is a basis for .
Let such that ( ) (zero polynomial)
(zero polynomial)
By comparison,
Therefore, the set is linearly independent.
Also, the set spans the vector space because every polynomial of degree less than or
equal is a linear combination of .
Therefore, is a basis for .
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b. Let ( ), ( ), and ( ) be three vectors in . Show that
the set * + is a basis of .
We know that ( ) ( ). Therefore, will be a basis of if is a linearly
independent set.
Let such that
( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ( ) ( ) )

{ ( )
( )

Therefore, is a basis of .
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c. Show that the vectors ( ) ( ), and ( ) form a basis for .

Express each of the standard basis vectors , and as a linear combination of ,
and .
Let * +
( ) ( )
Therefore, will be a basis of if is a linearly independent set.
Let such that
( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
( )

Therefore, is a basis of .
Let ( ) such that

( )

( )

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For ( ) ( ):

Therefore:

Similarly:

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d. Show that the vectors ( ) ( ), and ( ) form a basis for .
Express each of the standard basis vectors , and as a linear combination of ,
and .
Let * +
( ) ( )
Therefore, will be a basis of if is a linearly independent set.
Let such that
( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
( )

Therefore, is a basis of .

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Let ( ) such that

( )

( )

For ( ) ( ):

Therefore:

Similarly:

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e. Show that the vectors ( ) ( ), and ( ) form a basis for .

Express each of the standard basis vectors , and as a linear combination of ,
and .
Let * +
( ) ( )
Therefore, will be a basis of if is a linearly independent set.
Let such that
( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
( )

Therefore, is a basis of .
Let ( ) such that

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For ( ) ( ):

Therefore:

Similarly:

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