Problem Set 8

Full solutions to these problems are available for free download here:
www.SATPrepGet800.com/PMFBXSG

LEVEL 1
1. Determine if each of the following subsets of ℝ2 is a subspace of ℝ2 :
(i) 𝐴 = {(𝑥, 𝑦) | 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 0}
(ii) 𝐵 = {(𝑥, 𝑦) | 𝑥𝑦 = 0}
(iii) 𝐶 = {(𝑥, 𝑦) |2𝑥 = 3𝑦}
(iv) 𝐷 = {(𝑥, 𝑦) | 𝑥 ∈ ℚ}

2. For each of the following, determine if the given pair of vectors 𝑣 and 𝑤 are linearly independent
or linearly dependent in the given vector space 𝑉:
2 2 1
(i) 𝑉 = ℚ4 , 𝑣 = (3, 2, 2, – 1), 𝑤 = (– 1, – , – , – )
3 3 3

(ii) 𝑉 = ℝ3 , 𝑣 = (1, √2, 1), 𝑤 = (√2, 2, √2)

(iii) 𝑉 = ℂ5 , 𝑣 = (1, 𝑖, 2– 𝑖, 0, 3𝑖), 𝑤 = (– 𝑖, 1, – 1 − 2𝑖, 0, 3)
𝑏
ℚ 𝑎 𝑏 1
𝑎
(iv) 𝑉 = 𝑀22 , 𝑣 = [𝑎 3𝑏 ], 𝑤 = [ 1 ] (𝑎 ≠ 0, 𝑎 ≠ 𝑏)
2 3
2

(v) 𝑉 = {𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 | 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 ∈ ℝ}, 𝑣 = 𝑥, 𝑤 = 𝑥 2

LEVEL 2
3. Let 𝔽 be a field. Prove that 𝔽𝑛 is a vector space over 𝔽.

4. Let 𝑉 be a vector space over 𝔽. Prove each of the following:

(i) For every 𝑣 ∈ 𝑉, – (– 𝑣) = 𝑣.
(ii) For every 𝑣 ∈ 𝑉, 0𝑣 = 0.
(iii) For every 𝑘 ∈ 𝔽, 𝑘 ⋅ 0 = 0.
(iv) For every 𝑣 ∈ 𝑉, – 1𝑣 = – 𝑣.

LEVEL 3
5. Let 𝑉 be a vector space over a field 𝔽 and let 𝑿 be a set of subspaces of 𝑉. Prove that ⋂𝑿 is a
subspace of 𝑉.

6. Prove that a finite set with at least two vectors is linearly dependent if and only if one of the
vectors in the set can be written as a linear combination of the other vectors in the set.

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LEVEL 4
7. Let 𝑈 and 𝑊 be subspaces of a vector space 𝑉. Determine necessary and sufficient conditions
for 𝑈 ∪ 𝑊 to be a subspace of 𝑉.

8. Give an example of vector spaces 𝑈 and 𝑉 with 𝑈 ⊆ 𝑉 such that 𝑈 is closed under scalar
multiplication, but 𝑈 is not a subspace of 𝑉.

LEVEL 5
9. Let 𝑆 be a set of two or more linearly dependent vectors in a vector space 𝑉. Prove that there is
a vector 𝑣 in the set so that span 𝑆 = span 𝑆 ∖ {𝑣}.

10. Prove that a finite set of vectors 𝑆 in a vector space 𝑉 is a basis of 𝑉 if and only if every vector
in 𝑉 can be written uniquely as a linear combination of the vectors in 𝑆.

11. Let 𝑆 = {𝑣1 , 𝑣2 , … , 𝑣𝑚 } be a set of linearly independent vectors in a vector space 𝑉 and let
𝑇 = {𝑤1 , 𝑤2 , … , 𝑤𝑛 } be a set of vectors in 𝑉 such that span 𝑇 = 𝑉. Prove that 𝑚 ≤ 𝑛.

12. Let 𝐵 be a basis of a vector space 𝑉 with 𝑛 vectors. Prove that any other basis of 𝑉 also has 𝑛
vectors.

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