1.

lecture 1

This note is not free from errors and not a substitute for the book. This
notes just indicates the topics covered in the class. Please mail me errors at
h.s.shekhawat@iitg.ac.in

1.1

Objective

Introduction to the vector space

1.2

Recommended reading

[1, 2.1].

1.3

What is a system?

System Loosely speaking it is a relation between inputs and outputs.

1.3.1

Sets

A collection of all input/output signals of a system can be classified as a set.

A set is a collection of objects/elements. A specific relation between
elements is not necessary.

1.3.2

Spaces

A space is a set with some mathematical relational structure. This is not

a precise definition. The space is defined in this way just because you dont
equate it with any physical space. Note that a systems inputs/outputs have
some (still unknown) mathematical structure.

1.3.3

Sequences (finite or infinite)

Sequences : An arrangement of elements of a set in particular order. It

can be infinite also.
Finite sequence (n-tuple) : it is a sequence of n elements, where n is a
finite natural number.
1

CHAPTER 1. LECTURE 1

We need these concepts to deal with multiple input/output systems. These

concepts have applications in SISO also.

1.3.4

Vector space

We can easily verify that voltages sources form a vector space. A vector
space V is defined by the following axioms (an axiom is a statement which
is established often after several years of experience).
1. commutativity :- u + v = v + u for all u, v V ;
2. associativity :- (u + v) + w = u + (v + w) and (ab)v = a(bv) for all
u, v, w V and all a, b F ;
3. additive identity :- there exists an element 0 V such that v + 0 = v
for all v V ;
4. additive inverse :- for every v V , there exists w V such that
v + w = 0;
5. multiplicative identity :- 1v = v for all v V ;
6. distributive properties :- a(u + v) = au + av and (a + b)u = au + bu for
all a, b F and all u, v V .
7. Vector space V is closed under finite vector addition and scalar multiplication i.e.
If u, v V then u + v V ;
if u V and a F then au V
If v V then v is called a vector.
Examples:
1. Line y = x is a vector space.
2. All solution of the differential equation
d2 y
+y =0
dt2
are given by y = sin(t) + cos(t) where R and R. The set
of all solutions form a vector space. Note that R and R are
arbitrary and zero is there in the vector space.

1.3. WHAT IS A SYSTEM?

3. Set of polynomials of degree n i.e.
an xn + an1 xn1 + + a1 x + a0 , quadai R
is a vector space.
4. Line y = ax + b is not a vector space.

CHAPTER 1. LECTURE 1

Bibliography
[1] G. Strang. Linear Algebra and Its Applications. Thomson, Brooks/Cole,
fourth edition.