Math 114 | Linear Algebra

Vector Space and

Subspaces
 Vector Spaces
A vector space is a nonempty set V of elements
called vectors, together with operations of vector
addition (+) and scalar multiplication ( · ), such that
the following laws hold for all vectors 𝐮, 𝐯, 𝐰 ∈ 𝑉and
scalars a, 𝑏 ∈ ℱ :
(1) (Closure of vector addition) 𝐮 + 𝐯 ∈ 𝑉.
(2) (Commutativity of addition) 𝐮 + 𝐯 = 𝐯 + 𝐮.
.
(3) (Associativity of addition)
. 𝐮 + 𝐯 + 𝐰 = 𝐮 + 𝐯 + 𝐰.
. (4) (Additive identity) There exists an element 0 ∈ 𝑉
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such that 𝐮 + 𝟎 = 𝐮 = 𝟎 + 𝐮.
.

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 (5) (Additive inverse) There exists an element
𝐮 ∈ 𝑉 such that 𝐮 + −𝐮 = −𝐮 + 𝐮 =0
(6) (Closure of scalar multiplication) a · 𝐮 ∈ 𝑉 .
(7) (Distributive law)
a · (u + v) = a · u + a · v.
(8) (Distributive law) (a + b) · u = a · u + b · u.
(9) (Associative law) (ab) · u = a · (b · u) .
(10) (Monoidal law) 1 ∙ 𝐮 = 𝐮.
.

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 Example 1
Let C [0, 1] denote the set of all real-valued functions
that are continuous on the interval [0, 1] and use the
standard function addition and scalar multiplication
for these functions. That is, for 𝑓 𝑥 , 𝑔(𝑥) ∈ 𝐶 0,1
and real number 𝑐, we define the functions
𝑓 + 𝑔 and 𝑐𝑓 by
𝑓 + 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 + 𝑔(𝑥)
𝑐𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑐𝑓 𝑥
.

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Show that C [0, 1] with the given operations is a
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vector space.
.

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 Solution
Let V= C [0, 1], 𝑥 ∈ 0,1 and let 𝑓, 𝑔, ℎ be an arbitrary
elements of 𝑉.
Closure (1) & (6)
Then (𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑥) is in C [0, 1] because the sum of
two continuous functions is also continuous and
that any constant times a continuous function is
also continuous. Thus, the closure of addition and
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that of scalar multiplication hold
.

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 Commutativity/Associativity (2) & (3)
From Definition,
𝑓+𝑔 𝑥 =𝑓 𝑥 +𝑔 𝑥 =𝑔 𝑥 +𝑓 𝑥
= 𝑔+𝑓 𝑥 .
Therefore,
𝑓 + 𝑔 = 𝑔 + 𝑓.
Also,
𝑓 + 𝑔 + ℎ 𝑥 = (𝑓 + 𝑔) 𝑥 + ℎ 𝑥
= 𝑓 𝑥 + 𝑔 𝑥 + ℎ(𝑥)
= 𝑓 𝑥 + (𝑔 𝑥 + ℎ 𝑥 )
.

. = (𝑓 + 𝑔 + ℎ )(𝑥)
Since this hold for all 𝑥, we conclude that
.

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𝑓 + 𝑔 + ℎ = 𝑓 + (𝑔 + ℎ).
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 Additive Identity (4)
Let 𝑂 denote the constant function with value 0. Now
for any 𝑓 ∈ 𝑉, 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 1,
𝑓 + 𝑂 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 + 0 = 𝑓(𝑥).
Since this true for all 𝑥, we have
𝑓 + 0 = 𝑓 = 0 + 𝑓.

Additive Inverse (5)

Define: −𝑓 𝑥 = −𝑓 𝑥 , 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 1.

.
.
𝑓 + −𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 − 𝑓 𝑥 = 0.
Thus, 𝑓 + (−𝑓) = 0.
.

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 Distributive Law (7) & (8)
Let 𝑎, 𝑏 be real numbers and 𝑓, 𝑔 ∈ 𝑉 . Then for all
0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 1,
𝑎 𝑓 + 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑎(𝑓 𝑥 + 𝑔 𝑥 )
= 𝑎𝑓 𝑥 + 𝑎𝑔 𝑥
Also,
𝑎 + 𝑏 𝑔 𝑥 = (𝑎 + 𝑏)𝑔 𝑥 )
= 𝑎𝑔 𝑥 + 𝑏𝑔 𝑥
.

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 Associative Law (9)
Observe that for all 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 1,
𝑎𝑏 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑎𝑏 𝑓 𝑥
= 𝑎 𝑏𝑓 𝑥
= (𝑎 𝑏𝑓 )(𝑥)
so that , 𝑎𝑏 𝑓 = 𝑎 𝑑𝑓 .

Monoid Law (10)

. 1𝑓 𝑥 = 1𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥).
.

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Therefore, C [0, 1] is a vector space.
.

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 Example 2
One of the two sets 𝑉 = 𝑓 𝑥 ∈ 𝐶 0,1 : 𝑓 12 = 0 and
𝑊 = 𝑓 𝑥 ∈ 𝐶 0,1 : 𝑓 12 = 1 , with the operations of
function addition and scalar multiplication as in
Example 1, forms a vector space over the reals, while
the other does not. Determine which.

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 Example 3
Show that the set P2 of all polynomials of degree at
most two with the standard function addition and
scalar multiplication forms a vector space.

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 Theorem 1 (Cancellation Law for Vector Addition)
If u, v, and w are vectors in vector space V
such that
u+v=w+v
then u = w.

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 Theorem 2
Let v be a vector in some vector space V and let c be
any scalar. Then
(1) 0v = 0.
(2) c0 = 0.
(3) (-c)v = c(-v) = -(cv).
(4) If cv = 0, then v = 0 or c = 0.
(5) A vector space has only one zero element.
(6) Every vector has only one additive inverse.
.

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Proof: See Linear Algebra by B. Kolman et al
.

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 Subspaces

Let V be a nonempty and W a nonempty

subset of V. If W is also a vector space with
respect to the operations in V, then W is
called a subspace of V.

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 Theorem 3 (Subspace Test)
Let W be a subset of the vector space V. Then W is a
subspace of V if and only if
(1) W contains the zero element of V.
(2) (Closure of addition) For all u, v ∈ W, u + v ∈ W.
(3) (Closure of scalar multiplication) For all u ∈ W
and scalars c, cu ∈ W .

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 Example 4.
The singleton set
0
0
0
0
is a vector space under the operations
0 0 0 0 0
.
0 + 0 = 0 and 𝑟 ∙ 0 = 0
. 0 0 0 0 0
. 0 0 0 0 0
.

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 Example 5.
Every vector space has at least two subspaces,
itself and the subspace 𝟎 consisting only of the
zero vector. The subspace 𝟎 is called the zero
subspace.

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 Example 6.
Show that the subset P of C[0, 1] consisting of all
polynomial functions is a subspace of C[0, 1] and
that the subset Pn consisting of all polynomials of
degree at most n is a subspace of P.