Vector Spaces

Math 240

Definition

Properties

Set notation

Subspaces
Vector Spaces

Math 240 — Calculus III

Summer 2013, Session II

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Vector Spaces
Agenda
Math 240

Definition

Properties

Set notation

Subspaces
1. Definition

2. Properties of vector spaces

3. Set notation

4. Subspaces
Vector Spaces
Motivation
Math 240

Definition

Properties

Set notation

Subspaces We know a lot about Euclidean space. There is a larger class of

objects that behave like vectors in Rn . What do all of these
objects have in common?
Vector addition a way of combining two vectors, u and v, into
the single vector u + v
Scalar multiplication a way of combining a scalar, k, with a
vector, v, to end up with the vector kv
A vector space is any set of objects with a notion of addition
and scalar multiplication that behave like vectors in Rn .
Vector Spaces
Examples of vector spaces
Math 240

Definition
Real vector spaces
Properties

Set notation I Rn (the archetype of a vector space)

Subspaces I R — the set of real numbers
I Mm×n (R) — the set of all m × n matrices with real
entries for fixed m and n. If m = n, just write Mn (R).
I Pn — the set of polynomials with real coefficients of
degree at most n
I P — the set of all polynomials with real coefficients
I C k (I) — the set of all real-valued functions on the
interval I having k continuous derivatives

Complex vector spaces

I C, Cn
I Mm×n (C)
Vector Spaces
Definition
Math 240

Definition

Properties
Definition
Set notation A vector space consists of a set of scalars, a nonempty set, V ,
Subspaces whose elements are called vectors, and the operations of
vector addition and scalar multiplication satisfying
1. Closure under addition: For each pair of vectors u and v,
the sum u + v is an element of V .
2. Closure under scalar multiplication: For each vector v and
scalar k, the scalar multiple kv is an element of V .
3. Commutativity of addition: For all u, v ∈ V , we have
u + v = v + u.
4. Associativity of addition: For all u, v, w ∈ V , we have
(u + v) + w = u + (v + w).
5. Existence of a zero vector: There is a vector 0 ∈ V
satisfying v + 0 = v for all v ∈ V .
Vector Spaces
Definition
Math 240

Definition

Properties
Definition
Set notation A vector space consists of a set of scalars, a nonempty set, V ,
Subspaces whose elements are called vectors, and the operations of
vector addition and scalar multiplication satisfying
6. Existence of additive inverses: For each v ∈ V , there is a
vector −v ∈ V such that v + (−v) = 0.
7. Unit property: For all vectors v, we have 1v = v.
8. Associativity of scalar multiplication: For all vectors v and
scalars r, s, we have (rs)v = r(sv).
9. Distributive property of scalar multiplication over vector
addition: For all vectors u and v and scalars r, we have
r(u + v) = ru + rv.
10. Disributive property of scalar multiplication over scalar
addition: For all vectors v and scalars r and s, we have
(r + s)v = rv + sv.
Vector Spaces
Example
Math 240

Definition
Let’s verify that M2 (R) is a vector space.
Properties
1. From the definition of matrix addition, we know that the
Set notation
sum of two 2 × 2 matrices is also a 2 × 2 matrix.
Subspaces
2. From the definition of scalar-matrix multiplication, we
know that multiplying a 2 × 2 matrix by a scalar results in
a 2 × 2 matrix.
3. Given two 2 × 2 matrices
   
a1 a2 b1 b2
A= and B = ,
a3 a4 b3 b4
their sum is
 
a1 + b1 a2 + b2
A+B =
a3 + b3 a4 + b4
 
b1 + a1 b2 + a2
= = B + A.
b3 + a3 b4 + a4
Vector Spaces
Example
Math 240

Definition
Let’s verify that M2 (R) is a vector space.
Properties
4. Given three 2 × 2 matrices
Set notation
     
Subspaces a1 a2 b1 b2 c1 c2
A= , B= , C= ,
a3 a4 b3 b4 c3 c4
we have
 
(a1 + b1 ) + c1 (a2 + b2 ) + c2
(A + B) + C =
(a3 + b3 ) + c3 (a4 + b4 ) + c4
 
a + (b1 + c1 ) a2 + (b2 + c2 )
= 1
a3 + (b3 + c3 ) a4 + (b4 + c4 )
= A + (B + C).
 
0 0
5. If A ∈ M2 (R) then A + = A, so the zero vector in
0 0
 
0 0
M2 (R) is 0 = .
0 0
Vector Spaces
Example
Math 240

Definition
Let’s verify that M2 (R) is a vector space.
Properties    
a b −a −b
Set notation 6. The additive inverse of A = is −A =
Subspaces
c d −c −d
because
   
a + (−a) b + (−b) 0 0
A + (−A) = = = 0.
c + (−c) d + (−d) 0 0

7. If A is any matrix, then obviously 1A = A.

 
a b
8. Given a matrix A = and scalars r and s, we have
c d
   
(rs)a (rs)b r(sa) r(sb)
(rs)A = =
(rs)c (rs)d r(sc) r(sd)
 
sa sb
=r = r(sA).
sc sd
Vector Spaces
Example
Math 240

Definition
Let’s verify that M2 (R) is a vector space.
Properties    
a1 a2 b1 b2
Set notation 9. Given matrices A = and B = and a
Subspaces
a3 a4 b3 b4
scalar r, we have
 
r(a1 + b1 ) r(a2 + b2 )
r(A + B) =
r(a3 + b3 ) r(a4 + b4 )
 
ra1 + rb1 ra2 + rb2
= = rA + rB.
ra3 + rb3 ra4 + rb4
 
a b
10. Given a matrix A = and scalars r and s, we have
c d
 
(r + s)a (r + s)b
(r + s)A =
(r + s)c (r + s)d
 
ra + sa rb + sb
= = rA + sA.
rc + sc rd + sd
Vector Spaces
Additional properties of vector spaces
Math 240

Definition

Properties

Set notation

Subspaces The following properties are consequences of the vector space

axioms.
I The zero vector is unique.
I 0u = 0 for all u ∈ V .
I k0 = 0 for all scalar k.
I The additive inverse of a vector is unique.
I For all u ∈ V , its additive inverse is given by −u = (−1)u.
I If k is a scalar and u ∈ V such that ku = 0 then either
k = 0 or u = 0.
Vector Spaces
Aside: set notation
Math 240

Definition Definition
Properties Let V be a set. We write the subset of V satisfying some
Set notation
conditions as
Subspaces
S = {v ∈ V : conditions on v} .

Examples
1. The plane −3x + 2y + z = 4 can be written
(x, y, z) ∈ R3 : −3x + 2y + z = 4 .


2. The line perpendicular to this plane passing through the

point (1, 0, 0) can be written
x ∈ R3 : x = (1 − 3r, 2r, r), r ∈ R


or
(1 − 3r, 2r, r) ∈ R3 : r ∈ R .

Vector Spaces
Practice problem
Math 240

Definition

Properties

Set notation If A is an m × n matrix, verify that

Subspaces
V = {x ∈ Rn : Ax = 0}
is a vector space.

Rn is a vector space. V is a subset of Rn and also a vector

space. One vector space inside another?!?

What about
W = {x ∈ Rn : Ax = b}
where b 6= 0?
Vector Spaces
Definition
Math 240

Definition

Properties
Definition
Set notation
Suppose V is a vector space and S is a nonempty subset of V .
Subspaces
We say that S is a subspace of V if S is a vector space under
the same addition and scalar multiplication as V .

Examples
1. Any vector space has two improper subspaces: {0} and
the vector space itself. Other subspaces are called proper.
2. The solution set of a homogeneous linear system is a
subspace of Rn . This includes all lines, planes, and
hyperplanes through the origin.
3. The set of polynomials in P2 with no linear term forms a
subspace of P2 . In turn, P2 is a subspace of P .
4. C k (I) is a subspace of C ` (I) for all intervals I and all
k ≥ `.
Vector Spaces
Criteria for subspaces
Math 240

Definition

Properties

Set notation

Subspaces Checking all 10 axioms for a subspace is a lot of work.

Fortunately, it’s not necessary.
Theorem
If V is a vector space and S is a nonempty subset of V then S
is a subspace of V if and only if S is closed under the addition
and scalar multiplication in V .

Remark
Don’t forget the “nonempty.” It’s often quicker and easier to
just check that 0 ∈ S.
Vector Spaces
Example
Math 240

Definition
Let S denote the set of real symmetric n × n matrices. Let’s
Properties
check that S is a subspace of Mn (R).
Set notation

Subspaces
First, write S as
S = A ∈ Mn (R) : AT = A .


Now, check three things:

1. 0 ∈ S: Obvious.
2. If A, B ∈ S then A + B ∈ S:
(A + B)T = AT + B T = A + B
3. If A ∈ S and k is a scalar then kA ∈ S:
(kA)T = kAT = kA

It’s a subspace!
Vector Spaces
The null space of a matrix
Math 240

Definition

Properties
Definition
Set notation
If A is an m × n matrix, the solution space of the homogeneous
Subspaces
linear system Ax = 0 is called the null space of A.
nullspace(A) = {x ∈ Rn : Ax = 0}

Remarks
I The null space of an m × n matrix is a subspace of Rn .
I The null space of a matrix with complex entries is defined
analogously, replacing R with C.
I As noted before, the solution set of a nonhomogeneous
equation (Ax = b with b 6= 0) is not a subspace since it
does not contain 0.
Vector Spaces
Differential equation example
Math 240

Definition

Properties

Set notation

Subspaces

Show that the set of all solutions to the differential equation

y 00 + a1 (x)y 0 + a2 (x)y = 0
on an interval I is a subspace of C 2 (I).

The set of solutions to a homogeneous linear differential

equation is called the solution space.
Vector Spaces
Span
Math 240

Definition
Here’s another way to construct subspaces:
Properties

Set notation Definition

Subspaces Let v1 , . . . , vn a set of vectors in a vector space V . A linear
combination of v1 , . . . , vn is an expression of the form
c1 v1 + c2 v2 + · · · + cn vn ,
where c1 , . . . , cn are scalars. The span of v1 , . . . , vn is the set
of all linear combinations of them.
span{v1 , . . . , vn } = {c1 v1 + · · · + cn vn ∈ V : c1 , . . . , cn ∈ R}

Example
The span of a single, nonzero vector is a line through the origin.
span{v} = {tv ∈ V : t ∈ R}
Vector Spaces
Span
Math 240

Definition

Properties

Set notation

Subspaces

Theorem
Let v1 , . . . , vn be vectors in a vector space V . The span of
v1 , . . . , vn is a subspace of V .

Question
What’s the span of v1 = (1, 1) and v2 = (2, −1) in R2 ?