1.2 Subspaces

  • Definition. A vector (or linear) subspace of a vector space \(V\) over \(\F \) is a non-empty subset \(U\sub V\) which is closed under addition and scalar multiplication: whenever \(u,u_1,u_2\in U\) and \(\lambda \in \F \), then \(u_1+u_2\in U\) and \(\lambda u\in U\).

    In this case, we write \(U\leq V\).

    Say that \(U\) is trivial if \(U=\set {0}\) and proper if \(U\neq V\).

Of course, \(U\) is now a vector space in its own right using the addition and scalar multiplication of \(V\).

  • Exercise.1 \(U\sub V\) is a subspace if and only if \(U\) satisfies the following conditions:

    • (1) \(0\in U\);

    • (2) For all \(u_1,u_2\in U\) and \(\lambda \in \F \), \(u_1+\lambda u_2\in U\).

    This gives a efficient recipe for checking when a subset is a subspace.

1 Question 1 on sheet 1.