Math 110.

2 Exercises 1

1. Determine if the set R2 with the given operations is a vector space over R:

(x1 , x2 ) + (y1 , y2 ) = (2x1 + y1 , 3x2 y2 )

c (x1 , x2 ) = (cx1 , cx2 )

If this is not the case, state which of the properties fail to hold.

2. Explain why the following sets are not vector spaces over R.

a. The set of all integers Z with the following operations:

i. vector addition is usual addition
ii. scalar multiplication: k n = bkcn for k R, n Z
b. {(x, y) R2 | x 0} with the usual vector addition and scalar multiplication.

3. Prove the following properties of a vector space F V .

a. 0 v = 0v , v V
b. (a) v = (a v), a F, v V
c. If 0v 6= v V and a v = 0v then a = 0.

4. Which of the following subsets of R3 are subspaces?

a. the set of all (x, y, 0)

b. the set of all (x, y, 2)
c. the set of all (x, y, z) where x = y + z
d. the set of all (x, y, z) such that xz = 0
e. the set of all (x, y, z) such that x 3y + 4z = 0 and x = y

5. Show that the intersection of any collection of subspaces of F V is a subspace of F V .

6. Prove that if W1 , W2 , . . . , Wn are subspaces of F V then W1 + W2 + . . . + Wn is a subspace of

FV .

7. Let U and W be subspaces of V .

a. Show that U W is a subspace of V if and only if either U W or W U .

b. Is the set difference U \ W a subspace of V ?

8. Let U = {(a, b, 0) | a, b R} and W = {(0, 0, c) | c R}. Show that R3 = U W .

9. Prove that if V = U W , then for every v V , there exist unique elements u U and
w W such that v = u + w.

10. Let U = {(a, b, c, d) R4 | a + 2b = 0 and c + d = 0} be a subspace of R4 over R. Find a

subspace W of R4 such that R4 = U W .