s and
Detailed Lecture Notes on Op era tor
Functions
1 Int rod uct ion to Op era tor s
prod uce
on elements of a vect or spac e to
An oper ator is a function that acts are wide ly used in linea r algebra,
Ope rato rs
othe r elements of the vector space.
tum mec hani cs.
functional analysis, and quan
2 Ba sic s of Fu nct ion s and Plo ts
2.1 Def init ion of a Fun ctio n
of possible
a set of inpu ts (domain) and a set
A fw1ction is a relat ion between outp ut. Mat hem at-
is map ped to exac tly one
outp uts (ran ge) where each inpu t
ically, a function f is writ ten as:
f: X-) Y, J(x) = y,
the codomain.
whe re X is the dom ain and Y is
2.2 Typ es of Fun ctio ns
• Line ar Fun ctio n: f(x) = a:z: + b
Qua dra tic Fun ctio n: f(x) = ax
2 +bx + c
•
Exp one ntia l Fun ctio n: f(x) =
aebx
•
• Log arit hmi c Fun ctio n: f(:i:)
= a logb x
f (x) = sin x, cos x, tan x
• 'l.ri gon ome tric Fun ctio ns:
2.3 Gra phi ng Fun ctio ns
is repr eseu ls
on a coor dina te syste m. The x-ax
To visualize a function, we plot it w is an exam ple of a linea r
ts the range. Belo
the dom ain, and the y-axis repr esen
func tion plot:
1
3 Types of Operators
3.1 Linear Operators
J\ function T : V -> V is called a linear operator if it satisfies:
• Additivity: T(u I v) = T(u) + T(v) for a!l tt,v EV.
• Homogeneity: T(cu) - cT(u) for all 11. E V and c C JR.
3.2 Differential Operators
A differential operator involves derivatives of functions. For example, the oper-
ator D is defined by:
d
DJ(x) = -l
lX
J(x).
Higher-order differential operators include Dn f(x) = J:'.. f(x).
3.3 Integral Operators
An integral operator maps a function to its integral. A common example is:
T(f)(x) = 1b K(x, t)J(t) dt,
where K(x, I.) is the kernel of the operator.
3.4 Adjoint Operators
For a linear operator T, its adjoint T* is defined by:
(TJ, g) = (!, T* g),
where (·,-) represents the inner product.
3.5 Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors
A vector v f. 0 is an eigenvector of an operator T if:
Tv = Av,
where ;\ is the eigenvalue.
2
4 Prac tice Ques tions and Solu tions
operat or.
1. Show that the differe ntial operat or D is a linear
Solutio n: Let f(x) and g(x) be two functions, and let
c be a scalar. We
check: d df dg
D(f + g) = dx (f + g) = dx + dx = D(f) + D(g)
and d df
D(cf) =-(c f)= c- = cD(f).
dx dx
This confirms linearity.
the matrix A
2. Comp ute the eigenv alues and eigenv ectors of
[~ ~]-
Solutio n: The characteristic equation is:
2
det(A - >.I)= 1 ~).. 2 >.I = (2 - >.)2 - 1 = 0.
Expanding,
(2 - >.) 2 - 1 = )..2 - 4>. + 3 = o.
Solving, ).. = 3 and ).. = l. The eigenvectors are obtained by solving
(A - >.J)v = 0.
3. Plot the functio n f(x) = x - 3x + 2 and find its
2 roots.
Solutio n: The roots are obtaine d by solving x 2
- 3x + 2 = 0, giving
;i; = l, 2. The plot is a parabo la passing through these points.
r 011 a vector space
4. Linear Opera tors: Let T : V -> V be a linear operato
only if there exists a linear operato r
V. Show that T is invertible if and
V such that To S =So T = I, where I is the identity operato r
S: V
on V.
n
5. Differe ntial Opera tor: Solve the differential equatio
d2 y dy
--:-2 - 3- + 2y =0
dx dx
using the characteristic equation method.
Llmt if A and B
6. Comm utator s: Let A and B be linear operators. Prove
commute, i.e., AB= BA, then the operato r
[A, BJ= AB - BA= 0.
3
7. Integral Operators: Show that the operator
T(J)(x) = lax ex-t J(t) ell
is a bounded linear operator on the space of continuous functions on [O, l].
8. Function Analysis: Prove that the function
J(x) = x3 - 3x + 2
has at least one real root using the Intermediate Value Theorem.
9. Continuity: Let
x 2 -4
!(1;) = --2.
x-
lnvestigate the continuity of f(x) at .1: = 2.
