Orthogonality

6
6.1 Exercise. — We have

�x + y�2 = �x + y, x + y� = �x, x� + �x, y� + �y, x� + �y, y� = �x�2 + 2�x, y� + �y�2 .

Similarly,

�x − y�2 = �x − y, x − y� = �x, x� − �x, y� − �y, x� + �y, y� = �x�2 − 2�x, y� + �y�2 .

Summing the preceding equalities gives

� �
�x + y�2 + �x − y�2 = 2 �x�2 + �y�2 .

6.2 Exercise. — One computes

� �� �T � �� �
cos θ − sin θ cos θ − sin θ cos θ − sin θ cos θ sin θ
=
sin θ cos θ sin θ cos θ sin θ cos θ − sin θ cos θ
� �
cos2 θ + sin2 θ cos θ sin θ − sin θ cos θ
=
sin θ cos θ − cos θ sin θ sin2 θ + cos2 θ
� �
1 0
= = I 2.
0 1

A similar computation gives that

� �T � �
cos θ − sin θ cos θ − sin θ
= I 2.
sin θ cos θ sin θ cos θ

6.3 Exercise. — Denote

(1, 1, 1) (2, 1, −3) (4, −5, 1)
u= √ , v= √ , w= √ .
3 14 42

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Then
12 + 12 + 12
�u, u� = =1
3
22 + 12 + (−3)2
�v, v� = =1
14
42 + (−5)2 + 12
�w, w� = =1
42
1 × 2 + 1 × 1 + 1 × (−3)
�u, v� = √ √ =0
3 × 14
1 × 4 + 1 × (−5) + 1 + ×1
�u, w� = √ √ =0
3 × 42
2 × 4 + 1 × (−5) + (−3) × 1
�v, w� = √ √ =0
14 × 42
This proves that the family of three vectors u, v, w is an orthogonal basis of R3 . The matrix
 √ √ √ 
1/√3 2/√14 4/ √42
M = 1/√3 1/ √14 −5/√ 42
1/ 3 −3/ 14 1/ 42

whose columns are u, v, w written vertically, is orthogonal, i.e its inverse is

 √ √ √ 
1/√ 3 1√ 3 1/ √3
M T = 2/√14 1/ √14 −3/√ 14 .
4/ 42 −5/ 42 1/ 42

6.4 Exercise. — A point (x1 , x2 , x3 ) belongs to the plane P of equation 2x1 +2x2 +x3 = 0 iff
�(2, 2, 1), (x1 , x2 , x3 )� = 0. Thus, P ⊥ is the line span(2, 2, 1). We are seeking for a decomposition

(1, 1, 1) = α(2, 2, 1) + (1, 1, 1) − α(2, 2, 1) .

� �� � � �� �
in P ⊥ in P

The value α is such that (1, 1, 1) − α(2, 2, 1) = (1 − 2α, 1 − 2α, 1 − α), belongs to P, that is
5
2(1 − 2α) + 2(1 − 2α) + 1 − α = 5 − 9α = 0 =⇒ α = .
9
The distance between (1, 1, 1) and P is then
� � �
�5 �
� (2, 2, 1)� = 5 22 + 22 + 1 = 5 .
�9 � 9 3
(1,1,1)
6.5 Exercise. — Set u = √ .
3
Then u is orthogonal to the plane P of equation x1 + x2 +
x3 = 0. We set
(1, −1, 0) (1, 1, −2)
v= √ , w= √ .
2 6
So that u, v, w is an orthonormal basis of R3 . Denote by p the orthogonal projection R3 →
R3 onto P. We have p(u) = 0 and p(v) = v, p(w) = w. Thus, the matrix of p in the
diagonalization basis u, v, w is  
0 0 0
0 1 0 .
0 0 1

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The matrix  √ √ √ 
1/√3 1/ √2 1/√6
P = 1/√3 −1/ 2 1/ √6 
1/ 3 0 −2/ 6
is orthogonal. The matrix of p in the canonical basis is:
   
0 0 0 2 −1 −1
1
P 0 1 0 P T = −1 2 −1 .
3
0 0 1 −1 −1 2

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