Vector Spaces
Anushaya Mohapatra
Department of Mathematics
BITS PILANI K K Birla Goa Campus, Goa
January 22, 2024
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Overview
1 Real Vector Spaces
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Real Vector Spaces:
Definition 1.
A vector space(Over R) is a nonempty set V of objects,
with two operations, called vector addition + and
multiplication . by scalars (real numbers), satisfying the
following axioms for all u, v, and w in V and for all scalars
c and d ∈ R.
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Axioms:
1 For any u and v in V, the sum u + v is in V. (Additive Closure)
2 u + v = v + u for all u, v in V (Additive Commutative)
3 u + (v + w) = (u + v) + w (Additive Associative)
4 There is a zero vector 0 in V such that for every u in V, u+0 = u,
this is called the identity element. (Zero)
5 For each u in V, there is a vector −u in V such that u + (−u) = 0 .
This is the additive inverse. (Additive Inverse)
6 The scalar multiple of u by c, denoted by cu, is in V. (Multiplicative
Closure)
7 c(u + v) = cu + cv (Distributive)
8 (c + d)u = cu + du ( Distributive)
9 c(du) = (cd)u (Associative)
10 1u = u (Unity)
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Examples of Vector Spaces
Example 2.
n-tuple space Rn :
Addition:(u1 , u2 , · · · , un ) + (v1 , v2 , · · · vn ) =
(u1 + v1 , u2 + v2 , · · · , un + vn )
scalar multiplication:
α(u1 , u2 , · · · , un ) = (αu1 , αu2 , · · · , αun )
More examples:
1 M (R) = set of all n × n real matrices under usual matrix addition
n
and scalar multilication.
2 P (X): polynomials with degree smaller than or equal to n, under
n
polynomial addition and scalar multiplication.
3 Set of solutions of AX = 0, where A is an n × m matrices.
4 Set of continuous functions C(X) from a set X ⊂ R2 to R.
5 C[a, b] = Set of all continuous functions defined on a closed interval
Anushaya [a, b]. (Dept. of Maths)
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Not a vector space
Not a vector space: It is sufficient to find one axiom
which is not satisfied.
Example 1:
The set of all integers is not a vector space as it is not
closed under scalar multiplication
Example 2:
The set of all points (x, y, z) ∈ R3 satisfying x + y + z = 1
is not a vector space as there is no zero vector in the set.
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Problems
1 Suppose V = R2 = {(x1 , x2 ) : xi ∈ R and define the
vector addition as
(u1 , u2 ) + (v1 , v2 ) = (u1 + v1 , u2 + v2 ) and scalar
multiplication α(u1 , u2 ) = (αu1 , 0). Prove or disprove
that V is a vector space.
2 Let V be the set of all positive real numbers, with the
operations
Vector addition: u ⊕ v = uv and Scalar Multiplication:
ku = uk . Prove or disprove that V is a vector space.
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Properties of Vector Space
Exercise 1: Let V = {(u, v) : u ∈ R, v > 0} with the operations Vector
addition: (u1 , v1 ) + (u2 , v2 ) = (u1 + u2 , v1 v2 ) and Scalar Multiplication:
k(u, v) = (ku, vk ). Prove or disprove that V is a vector space.
Theorem 3.
Suppose V is a vector space, v ∈ V, and let c be any scalar, then following
are ture
1 0v = 0
2 c0 = 0
3 If cv = 0, either c = 0 or v = 0
4 (-1)v = -v
5 if u + v = u + w, then v = w
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