Fall2013math290lecture17 PDF

Lecture 17: Section 4.
Shuanglin Shao
November 4, 2013
Subspaces
We will discuss subspaces of vector spaces.

Subspaces
Definition. A subset W is a vector space V is called a subspace

of V if W is itself a vector space under the addition and scalar
multiplication defined on V .
Since W is a subset of V , certain axioms holding for V apply to
vectors in W . For instance, if v1 , v2 ∈ W ,
v1 + v2 = v2 + v1 .
So to say a subset W is a subspace of V , we need to verify that

W is closed under addition and scalar multiplication.
Theorem. If W is a set of one or more vectors in a vector space
V , then W is a subspace of V if and only if the following
conditions hold.
(a). If u, v ∈ W , then u + v ∈ W .
(b). If k is any scalar and u is any vector in W , then ku is in W .
Proof.
Proof. The zero vector is in W because we can take k = 0.

Given u ∈ W , −u ∈ W . The rest axioms holding for V are also
true for W . So W is a vector space. Hence W is a subspace of V .
Zero vector space.
Example. Let V be any vector space and W = {0}. Then W is

a subspace of V because
0 + 0 = 0, and k0 = 0,
for any scalar k.

Example.
Lines through the origin are subspaces of R2 or R3 . Let l be a line
in R2 through the origin, denoted by W , then for any two vectors
v1 , v2 ∈ W ,
v1 = t1 v,
v2 = t2 v,
where v is the direction of the line l. Then
v1 + v2 = (t1 + t2 )v;
so v1 + v2 is on the line l. On the other hand, for any scalar k,
kv1 = (kt1 )v.
Hence kv1 is on the line l. So l is a subspace.
Note that lines in R2 and R3 not through the origin are not
subspaces because the origin 0 is not on the lines.
Example.
Planes through the origin are subspaces in R3 . This can be proven

similarly as in the previous example.
Example.
Let V = R2 . Let W = {(x, y ) : x ≥ 0, y ≥ 0}. This set is not a

subspace of R2 because W is not closed under scalar
multiplication. For instance, v1 = (1, 2) ∈ W , but −v1 = (−1, −2)
is not in the set W .
Subspaces of Mn×n .
Let W be the set of symmetric matrices. Then W is a subspace of

V because the sum of two symmetric matrices and the scalar
multiplication of symmetric matrices are in W .
A subset of Mn×n is not a subspace.
Let W be the set of invertible n × n matrices. W is not a subspace

because the zero matrix is not in W .
Note that to see whether a set is a subspace or not, one way is to

see whether the zero vector is in the set or not.
The subspace C (−∞, ∞).
Let V be a vector space of functions on R, and W = C (−∞, ∞),

the set of continuous functions on R. Then the sum of two
continuous functions and scalar multiplication of continuous
functions are still continuous functions. Then W is a subspace of
V.
The subspace of all polynomials.
Let V be a vector space of functions on R, and W be the subset of

all polynomials on R. Then W is a subspace of V.
Theorem.
Theorem. If W1 , W2 , · · · , Wr are subspaces of a vector space V

and let W be the intersection of these subspaces, then W is also a
subspace of V.
Proof. Let v1 , v2 ∈ W , then for any 1 ≤ i ≤ r ,
v 1 , v 2 ∈ Wi .
Then
v1 + v2 ∈ Wi for any i.
Hence v1 + v2 ∈ W . On the other hand, for any scalar, kv1 ∈ Wi
for any i. Therefore kv1 ∈ W . Thus W is a subspace of V.
Remark. The union of the two subspaces V1 , V2 of V is not a
subspace of V. For instance, let l1 and l2 be two lines through the
origin in R2 . We know that l1 , l2 are subspace of R2 . Take v1 , v2
be two vectors on l1 , l2 . Thus by the parallelogram rule of sum of
two vectors, v1 + v2 is not in V1 ∪ V2 . Thus V1 ∪ V2 is not a
subspace of R2 .
Definition. If w is a vector in a vector space V, then w is said to
be a linear combination of the vectors v1 , v2 , · · · , vr in V if w
can be expressed in the form
w = k1 v1 + k2 v2 + · · · + kr vr
for some scalars k1 , k2 , · · · , kr . Then these scalars are called the

coefficients of the linear combination.
Theorem. If S = {w1 , w2 , · · · , wr } is a nonempty set of vectors
in a vector space V, then
(a). The set W of all possible linear combinations of the vectors in
S is a subspace of V.
(b). The set W in part (a) is the “smallest” subspace of V that
contains all of the vectors in S in the sense that any other
subspace that contains those vectors contains W.
Proof. Part (a). Let u = c1 w1 + c2 w2 + · · · + cr wr and
v = k1 w1 + k2 w2 + · · · + kr wr . Then
u + v = (c1 + k1 )w1 + (c2 + k2 )w2 + · · · + (cr + kr )wr ,

ku = (k1 c1 )w1 + (k2 c2 )w2 + · · · + (kr cr )wr .
Thus W is a subspace.
Part (b). Let V1 be a subspace of V and contains all the linear
combinations of w1 , w2 , · · · , wr . Then
W ⊂ V1 .
Definition. The subspace of a vector space V that is formed
from all possible linear combinations of the vectors in a nonempty
set S is called the span of S, and we say that the vectors in S
span that subspace.
If S = {w1 , w2 , · · · , wr }, then we denote the span of S by

span(w1 , w2 , · · · , wr ), span(S).
Example.
Example. The standard unit vectors span Rn . Recall that the

standard unit vectors in Rn are
e1 = (1, 0, 0, · · · , 0), e2 = (0, 1, 0 · · · , 0), · · · , en = (0, 0, · · · , 0, 1).
Proof. Any vector v = (v1 , v2 , · · · , vn ) is a linear combination of

e1 , e2 , · · · , en because
v = v1 e1 + v2 e2 + · · · + vn en .
Thus
Rn ⊂ span(e1 , e2 , · · · , en ).
Hence
Rn = span(e1 , e2 , · · · , en ).
Example.
Let Pn be a set of all the linear combinations of polynomials

1, x, x 2 , · · · , x n . Thus
Pn = span(1, x, x 2 , · · · , x n ).
Linear combinations.
Let u = (1, 2, −1) and v = (6, 4, 2) in R3 . Show that w = (9, 2, 7)

is a linear combination of u and v and that w0 = (4, −1, 8) is not a
linear combination of u, v.
Solution. Let (9, 2, 7) = k1 (1, 2, −1) + k2 (6, 4, 2). Thus
k1 + 6k2 = 9,
2k1 + 4k2 = 2,
−k1 + 2k2 = 7.
Thus
k1 = −3, k2 = 2.
Cont.
Solution. Suppose that there exist k1 and k2 such that
w0 = (4, −1, 8) = k1 (1, 2, −1) + k2 (6, 4, 2).
Thus
k1 + 6k2 = 4,
2k1 + 4k2 = −1,
−k1 + 2k2 = 8.
Therefore from the first and third equations, we have

3
k1 = −5, k2 = .
2
But this solution does not satisfy the second equation.
Testing for spanning.
Determine whether v1 = (1, 1, 2), v2 = (1, 0, 1) and v3 = (2, 1, 3)

span the vector space R3 .
Solution. We know that
span(v1 , v2 , v3 ) ⊂ R3 .
For any vector b = (b1 , b2 , b3 ) ∈ R3 , there exists k1 , k2 and k3

such that
b = k1 v1 + k2 v2 + k3 v3 .
Thus 
k1 + k2 + 2k3
 = b1 ,
k1 + k3 = b2 ,

2k1 + k2 + 3k3 = b3 .

The coefficient matrix is in form of
 
1 1 2
 1 0 1 .
2 1 3
The determinant of the coefficient matrix is

1 2 1 2
− − = 2 6= 0.
2 3 1 1
Theorem. The solution set of a homogeneous linear system
Ax = 0 in n unknowns is subspace of Rn .
Solution. Let x1 , x2 be two solutions to the linear system

Ax = 0. Then
A(x1 + x2 ) = 0 + 0 = 0,
and
A(kx1 ) = kA(x1 ) = k0 = 0.
Thus the solution set is a subspace of Rn .
Homework and Reading.
Homework. Ex. # 1, # 2, # 4, # 5, # 7, # 8, # 14, # 15.

True or false questions on page 190.
Reading. Section 4.3.

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Lecture 17: Section 4.

We will discuss subspaces of vector spaces.

Definition. A subset W is a vector space V is called a subspace

So to say a subset W is a subspace of V , we need to verify that

Proof. The zero vector is in W because we can take k = 0.

Example. Let V be any vector space and W = {0}. Then W is

for any scalar k.

where v is the direction of the line l. Then

so v1 + v2 is on the line l. On the other hand, for any scalar k,

kv1 = (kt1 )v.

Hence kv1 is on the line l. So l is a subspace.

Planes through the origin are subspaces in R3 . This can be proven

Let V = R2 . Let W = {(x, y ) : x ≥ 0, y ≥ 0}. This set is not a

Let W be the set of symmetric matrices. Then W is a subspace of

Let W be the set of invertible n × n matrices. W is not a subspace

Note that to see whether a set is a subspace or not, one way is to

Let V be a vector space of functions on R, and W = C (−∞, ∞),

Let V be a vector space of functions on R, and W be the subset of

Theorem. If W1 , W2 , · · · , Wr are subspaces of a vector space V

for some scalars k1 , k2 , · · · , kr . Then these scalars are called the

u + v = (c1 + k1 )w1 + (c2 + k2 )w2 + · · · + (cr + kr )wr ,

If S = {w1 , w2 , · · · , wr }, then we denote the span of S by

Example. The standard unit vectors span Rn . Recall that the

e1 = (1, 0, 0, · · · , 0), e2 = (0, 1, 0 · · · , 0), · · · , en = (0, 0, · · · , 0, 1).

Proof. Any vector v = (v1 , v2 , · · · , vn ) is a linear combination of

Let Pn be a set of all the linear combinations of polynomials

Let u = (1, 2, −1) and v = (6, 4, 2) in R3 . Show that w = (9, 2, 7)

Solution. Suppose that there exist k1 and k2 such that

w0 = (4, −1, 8) = k1 (1, 2, −1) + k2 (6, 4, 2).

Therefore from the first and third equations, we have

Determine whether v1 = (1, 1, 2), v2 = (1, 0, 1) and v3 = (2, 1, 3)

Solution. We know that

For any vector b = (b1 , b2 , b3 ) ∈ R3 , there exists k1 , k2 and k3

The determinant of the coefficient matrix is

Solution. Let x1 , x2 be two solutions to the linear system

Homework. Ex. # 1, # 2, # 4, # 5, # 7, # 8, # 14, # 15.

Reading. Section 4.3.

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