4 Vector Spaces

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4.2 Vector Spaces

Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Objectives
▪ Define a vector space and recognize some
important vector spaces.

▪ Show that a given set is not a vector space.

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Definition of a Vector Space

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Definition of a Vector Space (1 of 6)
Definition of a Vector Space
Let V be a set on which two operations (vector addition
and scalar multiplication) are defined. If the listed
axioms are satisfied for every u, v, and w in V and every
scalar (real number) c and d, then V is a vector space.

Addition:
1. u + v is in V. Closure under addition
2. u + v = v + u Commutative property
3. u + (v + w) = (u + v) + w Associative property

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Definition of a Vector Space (2 of 6)
Definition of a Vector Space
4. V has a zero vector 0 such
that for every u in V, u + 0 = u. Additive identity
5. For every u in V, there is a
vector in V denoted by −u
such that u + (−u) = 0. Additive inverse

Scalar Multiplication:
6. cu is in V. Closure under
scalar
multiplication

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Definition of a Vector Space (3 of 6)
Definition of a Vector Space
7. c(u + v) = cu + cv Distributive property
8. (c + d)u = cu + du Distributive property
9. c(du) = (cd)u Associative property
10. 1(u) = u Scalar identity

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Example 3 – The Vector Space of All 2 × 3 Matrices

Show that the set of all 2 × 3 matrices with the operations of

matrix addition and scalar multiplication is a vector space.

Solution:
If A and B are 2 × 3 matrices and c is a scalar, then A + B
and cA are also 2 × 3 matrices. The set is, therefore, closed
under matrix addition and scalar multiplication.

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Example 3 – Solution
Moreover, the other eight vector space axioms follow
directly.

So, the set is a vector space. Vectors in this space have the
form

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Example 5 – The Vector Space of continuous functions (calculus) (1 of 2)

Let be the set of all real-valued continuous

functions defined on the entire real line. This set consists of
all polynomial functions and all other continuous functions
on the entire real line.

For example, f(x) = sin x and g(x) = are members of this

set.

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Example 5 – The Vector Space of continuous functions (calculus) (2 of 2)

Addition is defined by (f + g)(x) = f (x) + g(x) as shown at the

right.

Scalar multiplication is
defined by (cf )(x) = c[ f (x)].
Show that is a vector
space.

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Example 5 – Solution (1 of 2)
To verify that the set is closed under addition
and scalar multiplication, use a result from calculus—the
sum of two continuous functions is continuous and the
product of a scalar and a continuous function is continuous.
To verify that the set has an additive identity,
consider the function f0 that has a value of zero for all x, that
is,

f0(x) = 0, x is any real number.

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Example 5 – Solution (2 of 2)
This function is continuous on the entire real line (its graph
is simply the line y = 0), which means that it is in the set
. Moreover, if f is any other function that is
continuous on the entire real line, then

(f + f0)(x) = f(x) + f0(x) = f(x) + 0 = f(x).

This shows that f0 is the additive identity in . The

verification of the other vector space axioms is left to you.

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Definition of a Vector Space (4 of 6)
Summary of important Vector Spaces
R = set of all real numbers
= set of all ordered pairs
= set of all ordered triples
= set of all n-tuples
= set of all continuous functions defined on
the real number line
C[a, b] = set of all continuous functions defined on
a closed interval [a, b], where a ≠ b

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Definition of a Vector Space (5 of 6)
Summary of important Vector Spaces
P = set of all polynomials
Pn = set of all polynomials of degree ≤ n
(together with the zero polynomial)
Mm, n = set of all m × n matrices
Mn, n = set of all n × n square matrices

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Definition of a Vector Space (6 of 6)
Theorem 4.4 properties of Scalar Multiplication
Let v be any element of a vector space V, and let c be any
scalar. Then the properties below are true.

1. 0v = 0 2. c0 = 0

3. If cv = 0, then c = 0 or v = 0. 4. (−1)v = −v

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Sets That Are Not Vector Spaces

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Example 7 – The Set of Second-Degree Polynomials Is Not
a Vector Space (1 of 1)

The set of all second-degree polynomials is not a vector

space because it is not closed under addition. To see this,
consider the second-degree polynomials
whose sum is the first-degree
polynomial p(x) + q(x) = 1 + x.

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