Algebra II Problem Set I

UNIVERSITY IBN TOFAIL

Algebra II

Problem Set I

Exercise 1:
Study the following propositions. Prove those that are true and provide counterexamples
for those that are false.

a) R2 with the usual addition and the external law: λ · (x, y) = (λx, 0) where λ ∈ R,
(x, y) ∈ R2 is a vector space over R.

b) C3 with the usual addition and the external law over C defined by λ · (x, y, z) =
(λx, y, z) where λ ∈ C, (x, y, z) ∈ C3 is a C-vector space.

c) The set of polynomials with real coefficients divisible by X 3 + 1, with the usual
addition of polynomials and multiplication of a polynomial by a scalar, is an R-
vector space.

Correction

a) The scalar multiplication fails the axiom 1·v = v for all v ∈ R2 . For example,
take v = (0, 1). Then:

1 · (0, 1) = (1 · 0, 0) = (0, 0) ̸= (0, 1).

Since the multiplicative identity axiom is violated, this structure is not a

vector space. ■

b) The scalar multiplication fails the distributive property over scalar addition.
Let λ, µ ∈ C and v = (x, y, z) ∈ C3 . Then:

(λ + µ) · v = ((λ + µ)x, y, z),

whereas:

λ · v + µ · v = (λx, y, z) + (µx, y, z) = ((λx + µx), 2y, 2z).

These two results are unequal unless y = z = 0. Hence, distributivity fails,

and the structure is not a vector space. ■

c) We verify closure under addition and scalar multiplication:

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Algebra II Problem Set I

Correction

(a) If P, Q ∈ F , then P = (X 3 + 1)P0 and Q = (X 3 + 1)Q0 for some

P0 , Q0 ∈ R[X]. Thus:

P + Q = (X 3 + 1)(P0 + Q0 ) ∈ F.

(b) For λ ∈ R, λP = (X 3 + 1)(λP0 ) ∈ F .

The zero polynomial is in F , and all other vector space axioms hold inherited
from R[X]. Therefore, F is an R-vector space. ■

Exercise 2:
Consider the following sets:

E1 = {(x, y, z) ∈ R3 | 3x − 2y + 5z = 0}
E2 = {v ∈ R3 | v = (a − b, 2b, a + 3b), a, b ∈ R}
E3 = {(x, y, z) ∈ R3 | x · y = 0}

1. Among these sets, which ones are vector subspaces of the vector space R3 over R?

2. Give a basis for each vector subspace.

Correction

1) Subspace Verification:

- Set E1 = {(x, y, z) ∈ R3 | 3x − 2y + 5z = 0}:

E1 is a subspace.
- Contains the zero vector: 3(0) − 2(0) + 5(0) = 0.
- Closed under addition: If (x1 , y1 , z1 ), (x2 , y2 , z2 ) ∈ E1 , then:

3(x1 + x2 ) − 2(y1 + y2 ) + 5(z1 + z2 ) = 0 + 0 = 0.

- Closed under scalar multiplication: If λ ∈ R, then:

3(λx) − 2(λy) + 5(λz) = λ(3x − 2y + 5z) = 0.

- Set E2 = {v ∈ R3 | v = (a − b, 2b, a + 3b), a, b ∈ R}:

E2 is a subspace.

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Algebra II Problem Set I

Correction

- Contains the zero vector: Set a = 0, b = 0. - Closed under addition: For

v1 = (a1 − b1 , 2b1 , a1 + 3b1 ), v2 = (a2 − b2 , 2b2 , a2 + 3b2 ), their sum is:

(a1 + a2 − (b1 + b2 ), 2(b1 + b2 ), (a1 + a2 ) + 3(b1 + b2 )) ∈ E2 .

- Closed under scalar multiplication: For λ ∈ R, λv = (λa − λb, 2(λb), λa +

3(λb)) ∈ E2 . - Set E3 = {(x, y, z) ∈ R3 | x · y = 0}:
E3 is **not** a subspace. Counterexample: v1 = (1, 0, 0) ∈ E3 ,
v2 = (0, 1, 0) ∈ E3 , but v1 + v2 = (1, 1, 0) ∈
/ E3 since 1 · 1 ̸= 0.

2) Bases for Subspaces:

- Basis for E1 :
Solve 3x − 2y + 5z = 0. Express x = 32 y − 53 z, so:
 2   5 
 3 −3 
E1 = Span  1  ,  0  .
0 1
 

Clearing denominators, a basis is:

   
 2 −5 
3 ,  0  .
0 3
 

- Basis for E2 :
From v = a(1, 0, 1) + b(−1, 2, 3), the vectors:
   
 1 −1 
0 ,  2 
1 3
 

are linearly independent (determinant test confirms), so they form a basis.

Exercise 3:
In the vector space R4 with its canonical basis, consider the vectors:

e′1 = (1, 2, −1, −2)

e′2 = (2, 3, 0, −1)
e′3 = (1, 3, −1, 0)
e′4 = (1, 2, 1, 4)

2 Show that the family B ′ = (e′1 , e′2 , e′3 , e′4 ) is a basis of R4 .

a)

b) Calculate the coordinates of the vector v = (7, 14, −1, 2) in the basis B ′ .

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Algebra II Problem Set I

Correction

a) Proof: To verify that B ′ is a basis, we check if the vectors are linearly

independent. Construct the matrix A with columns e′1 , e′2 , e′3 , e′4 :
 
1 2 1 1
2 3 3 2
A= −1 0 −1 1


−2 −1 0 4

Compute the determinant of A. Using row operations or cofactor expansion,

we find det(A) ̸= 0, confirming linear independence. Since dim(R4 ) = 4, the
family B ′ forms a basis. ■

b) Solve ae′1 + be′2 + ce′3 + de′4 = v. This leads to the system:



 a + 2b + c + d = 7

2a + 3b + 3c + 2d = 14


 −a − c + d = −1
−2a − b + 4d = 2


Solving via substitution:

(a) From the third equation: d = a + c − 1.

(b) Substitute d into the first and fourth equations:

2a + 2b + 2c = 8 ⇒ a + b + c = 4,
2a − b + 4c = 6.

(c) Substitute b = 4−a−c into the remaining equations to find c = 2, a = 0,

b = 2, and d = 1.

The coordinates of v in B ′ are (0, 2, 2, 1). ■

Exercise 4:
Consider the set:

F = {(x, y, z) ∈ C3 | x + y + z = 0 and 2x + iy − z = 0}

a) Show that F is an R-vector space.

b) Give a basis for F and deduce its dimension.

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Algebra II Problem Set I

Correction

a) Since F ⊆ C3 and C3 is a vector space over R, it suffices to show F is a

subspace. We verify:

(a) Zero vector: (0, 0, 0) ∈ F because 0 + 0 + 0 = 0 and 2 · 0 + i · 0 − 0 = 0.

(b) Closed under addition: Let u = (x1 , y1 , z1 ), v = (x2 , y2 , z2 ) ∈ F .
Then:
(x1 + x2 ) + (y1 + y2 ) + (z1 + z2 ) = (x1 + y1 + z1 ) + (x2 + y2 + z2 ) = 0,
2(x1 + x2 ) + i(y1 + y2 ) − (z1 + z2 ) = (2x1 + iy1 − z1 ) + (2x2 + iy2 − z2 ) = 0.

Hence, u + v ∈ F .
(c) Closed under scalar multiplication: For λ ∈ R, λu = (λx1 , λy1 , λz1 ).
Then:
λx1 + λy1 + λz1 = λ(x1 + y1 + z1 ) = 0,
2(λx1 ) + i(λy1 ) − λz1 = λ(2x1 + iy1 − z1 ) = 0.
Thus, λu ∈ F .

Therefore, F is an R-vector space. ■

b) Basis and Dimension:

Solution: Solve the system:

(
x + y + z = 0 (1)
2x + iy − z = 0 (2)

From (1): z = −x − y. Substitute into (2):

(1 + i)
2x + iy − (−x − y) = 3x + y(1 + i) = 0 ⇒ x = − y.
3
Let y = t ∈ C. Then:

(1 + i) (−2 + i)
x=− t, z= t.
3 3
−2+i
The general solution is v = t · − 1+i


3
, 1, 3
. Since t ∈ C, write t = a + ib
with a, b ∈ R. Separating real and imaginary parts:
   
1 1 2 1 1 1 1 2
v = a · − , − , 1, 0, − , +b · , − , 0, 1, − , − .
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
| {z } | {z }
v1 v2

Thus, {v1 , v2 } is a basis for F over R, and dimR (F ) = 2. ■

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Algebra II Problem Set I

Exercise 5:
Let F be the vector subspace of R4 [X] generated by the following vectors (polynomials):

P1 = X 2
P2 = (X − 1)2
P3 = (X + 1)2

a) Show that (P1 , P2 , P3 ) is a basis of F .

b) Complete the family (P1 , P2 , P3 ) into a basis of R4 [X] and deduce a supplementary
subspace of F in R4 [X].

Correction

a) Let P1 = X 2 , P2 = (X −1)2 = X 2 −2X +1, and P3 = (X +1)2 = X 2 +2X +1.

We verify linear independence by solving:

aP1 + bP2 + cP3 = 0.

Expanding:

aX 2 + b(X 2 − 2X + 1) + c(X 2 + 2X + 1) = 0.

Grouping terms:

(a + b + c)X 2 + (−2b + 2c)X + (b + c) = 0.

Equating coefficients: 
a + b + c = 0

−2b + 2c = 0

b+c=0


From the third equation: b = −c. Substituting into the second equation:

−2(−c) + 2c = 4c = 0 ⇒ c = 0 ⇒ b = 0.

Substituting into the first equation: a = 0. Thus, (P1 , P2 , P3 ) is linearly

independent. Since F is the span of these vectors, they form a basis. ■

b) The space R4 [X] has dimension 5, with standard basis {1, X, X 2 , X 3 , X 4 }.

Since F has dimension 3, we extend (P1 , P2 , P3 ) with X 3 and X 4 to form a
basis:
B = {P1 , P2 , P3 , X 3 , X 4 }.

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Algebra II Problem Set I

Correction

The supplementary subspace S is the span of X 3 and X 4 , satisfying:

R4 [X] = F ⊕ S.

Verification: - F ∩S = {0}: No non-zero polynomial in S has degree 2, while

F contains only polynomials of degree 2. - dim(F ) + dim(S) = 3 + 2 = 5 =
dim(R4 [X]). Hence, S = Span{X 3 , X 4 } is a valid supplementary subspace.
■

Exercise 6:
In the R-vector space F (R, R), consider the functions:

fn (x) = sin(nx), n ≥ 1

a) Show that for all n ∈ N∗ , the family (f1 , . . . , fn ) is linearly independent.

b) Deduce that F (R, R) is an R-vector space of infinite dimension.

Correction

a) Suppose there exist scalars a1 , . . . , an ∈ R such that:

n
X
ak sin(kx) = 0 ∀x ∈ R.
k=1

To prove linear independence, we show ak = 0 for all k. Multiply both sides

by sin(mx) (for fixed m ∈ {1, . . . , n}) and integrate over [0, 2π]:
n
X Z 2π
ak sin(kx) sin(mx) dx = 0.
k=1 0

Using orthogonality:
(
Z 2π
π if k = m,
sin(kx) sin(mx) dx =
0 0 ̸ m.
if k =

Thus, the equation reduces to am π = 0 ⇒ am = 0. Since m was arbitrary,

ak = 0 for all k. Hence, the family is linearly independent. ■

b) For every n ∈ N∗ , the family (f1 , . . . , fn ) is linearly independent by part (a).

In a finite-dimensional vector space of dimension d, no set of size greater
than d can be linearly independent. Since F(R, R) contains arbitrarily large
linearly independent sets, it must be infinite-dimensional. ■

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Algebra II Problem Set I

Exercise 7:
1. Show that the application f : R2 → R3 defined by f (x, y) = (x − y, x, x + y) is
linear.

2. Show that f is injective but not surjective.

3. Determine a basis for Imf (the image of f ).

Correction

1) Let u = (x1 , y1 ), v = (x2 , y2 ) ∈ R2 and λ ∈ R.

- Additivity:
f (u + v) = f (x1 + x2 , y1 + y2 )
= f (u) + f (v).

- Homogeneity:

f (λu) = f (λx1 , λy1 ) = (λx1 − λy1 , λx1 , λx1 + λy1 )

= λ(x1 − y1 , x1 , x1 + y1 ) = λf (u).

Since both properties hold, f is linear.

2) - Injectivity: Suppose f (x, y) = (0, 0, 0). Then:


x − y = 0

x=0 ⇒ x = 0, y = 0.

x+y =0


Thus, ker(f ) = {(0, 0)}, so f is injective.

- Non-surjectivity: The image Im(f ) ⊆ R3 has dimension at most 2 (since
dim(R2 ) = 2), while dim(R3 ) = 3. Hence, Im(f ) ̸= R3 , so f is not surjective.

3) Basis for Im(f ):

Compute f (1, 0) = (1, 1, 1) and f (0, 1) = (−1, 0, 1). These vectors span
Im(f ). To verify linear independence, solve:

a(1, 1, 1) + b(−1, 0, 1) = (0, 0, 0).

This gives the system:


a − b = 0

a=0 ⇒ a = 0, b = 0.

a+b=0


Hence, {(1, 1, 1), (−1, 0, 1)} is a basis for Im(f ).

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Algebra II Problem Set I

Exercise 8:
Let f ∈ L(R3 ) defined by f (x, y, z) = (2y + z, x − 4y, 3x).
1. Determine the matrix A of f with respect to the canonical basis B = {e1 , e2 , e3 } of
R3 .
2. Let v1 = (1, 1, 1), v2 = (1, 1, 0), and v3 = (1, 0, 0) be vectors in R3 .
a) Show that the family B ′ = {v1 , v2 , v3 } is a basis of R3 .
b) Calculate f (v1 ), f (v2 ), and f (v3 ).
c) Determine A′ , the matrix of f in the basis B ′ .
3. a) Determine the matrices P and P −1 where P is the change of basis matrix from
basis B to basis B ′ .
b) Using the change of basis formula, recalculate the matrix A′ .
Correction

1) Matrix A of f in the canonical basis:

The linear map f (x, y, z) = (2y + z, x − 4y, 3x) is represented by the matrix:
 
0 2 1
A = 1 −4 0
3 0 0

This is obtained by evaluating f on the canonical basis vectors e1 , e2 , e3 and

writing the results as columns.

2.a) Claim: The family B ′ = {v1 , v2 , v3 } with v1 = (1, 1, 1), v2 = (1, 1, 0),
v3 = (1, 0, 0) is a basis of R3 .

Proof: The determinant of the matrix P formed by v1 , v2 , v3 as columns is:

 
1 1 1
det(P ) = det 1 1
 0 = −1 ̸= 0.
1 0 0

Since det(P ) ̸= 0, the vectors are linearly independent and span R3 , hence B ′
is a basis.

2.b) Images of v1 , v2 , v3 under f :

Compute f (v1 ), f (v2 ), f (v3 ):

f (v1 ) = f (1, 1, 1) = (2(1) + 1, 1 − 4(1), 3(1)) = (3, −3, 3),

f (v2 ) = f (1, 1, 0) = (2(1) + 0, 1 − 4(1), 3(1)) = (2, −3, 3),
f (v3 ) = f (1, 0, 0) = (2(0) + 0, 1 − 4(0), 3(1)) = (0, 1, 3).

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Algebra II Problem Set I

Correction

2.c) Matrix A′ of f in the basis B ′ :

Express f (v1 ), f (v2 ), f (v3 ) in terms of B ′ :

f (v1 ) = 3v1 − 6v2 + 6v3 ,

f (v2 ) = 3v1 − 6v2 + 5v3 ,
f (v3 ) = 3v1 − 2v2 − v3 .

Thus, the matrix A′ is:

 
3 3 3
A′ = −6 −6 −2 .
6 5 −1

3.a) Change of basis matrices P and P −1 :

The change of basis matrix P from B to B ′ is:

   
1 1 1 0 0 1
P = 1 1 0 , P −1 = 0 1 −1 .
1 0 0 1 −1 0

3.b) Verification of A′ = P −1 AP :

Compute A′ = P −1 AP :
   
0 2 1 3 3 3
A′ = P −1 1 −4 0 P = −6 −6 −2 .
3 0 0 6 5 −1

This matches the earlier result, confirming correctness.

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