3.

2 Subspaces

Ch.3. Vector Spaces and

Subspaces
 1 Overview

2 Definition of Subspace

3 Span of a Subset

4 Null Space

Ch.3. Vector Spaces and Subspaces 3.2 Subspaces 1/6

 Definition of Subspace
Definition
A subset U of a vector space X is called a subspace of X if it is a
vector space with addition and scalar multiplication being the same as
::::::::::::
in X .
::::

Remark
To see that a subset U of a vector space X is a subspace, it suffices
to test whether it is nonempty
:::::::::
and closed
::::::
under ::::::::
addition and under
scalar multiplication.
:::::::::::::::::::

Exmaple.
{(x1 , x2 , 0) ∈ R3 } is a subspace of R3 .
{(x1 , x2 , 1) ∈ R3 } is not a subspace of R3 .
In every vector space X , the set {~0} is a subspace of X and so too
is :::
the:::::::
whole ::::::
space:: X . These are called trivial subspaces.
Ch.3. Vector Spaces and Subspaces 3.2 Subspaces 2/6
 Example
U = {(x , y , z) ∈ R3 : x − 2y + z = 0}
= {~u ∈ R3 : ~u = s(2, 1, 0)T + t(−1, 0, 1)T ; s, t ∈ R}.
U is a subspace of R3 .
U is the solution set of the homogeneous equation
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
x − 2y + z = 0.
U is the plane through the origin and containing two vectors
::::::::::::::::::::::::::
(2, 1, 0) and (−1, 0, 1)T .
T

Ch.3. Vector Spaces and Subspaces 3.2 Subspaces 3/6

 Span of a Subset
Theorem
Let X be a vector space and S a nonempty subset of X . Then the set
of all finite linear combinations of vectors of S, i.e.,
n
X
U= si ~ai : n ∈ N; s1 , s2 , · · · , sn ∈ R; ~a1 , ~a2 , · · · , ~an ∈ S
i=1
is a subspace of X .

Definition (Span)
Given a vector space X and a nonempty subset S of X , the subspace
of all finite linear combinations of vectors of S is called the span of
S, or the subspace spanned or generated by S, and will be denoted
by Span(S). The span of the empty subset of X is defined to be the
subspace {~0}.

Ch.3. Vector Spaces and Subspaces 3.2 Subspaces 4/6

 Null Space
Theorem
Let A be an m×n matrix. The set U of all solutions of the homogeneous
equation A~x = ~0 is a subspace of Rn .

Definition (Null Space)

For every m × n matrix A, the set of all solutions to A~x = ~0 is called
the null space of A, and will be denoted by Null(A).

Ch.3. Vector Spaces and Subspaces 3.2 Subspaces 5/6

 Example
The subspaces of R3 are one of the followings:
{0}; the solution to A~x = ~0 with rank(A) = 3.
a line through the origin, which is generated by single nonzero
vector; the solution to A~x = ~0 with rank(A) = 2.
a plane through the origin, which is generated by two nonparallel
vectors; the solution to A~x = ~0 with rank(A) = 1.
R3 itself, which is generated by three noncoplanar vectors; the
solution to A~x = ~0 with rank(A) = 0.

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