Algebra II No.

1. In each of the following cases, describe Span(S) for the given set S.
   
2 1 2
a) Working with R , S = , .
1 2

The set      
1 2
Span(S) = a +b : a, b ∈ R
1 2
can be turned into
         
1 1 1
a + 2b : a, b ∈ R = (a + 2b) : a, b ∈ R
1 1 1

which can be written as    

1
a :a∈R .
1
Therefore Span(S) is a line through the origin.

b) Let u, v ∈ R3 denote two noncollinear vectors and consider S = {u, v} in R3 .

Consider the set Span(S) = {au + bv : a, b ∈ R}. The fact that u, v are noncollinear implies
that they don’t belong to the same line through the origin, in other words, u 6∈ Span(v) and
v 6∈ Span(u). Therefore Span(S) is a plane.
     
 1 0 0 
c) In R3 , S = e1 = 0 , e2 = 1 , e3 = 0 .
0 0 1
 
Consider the subspace Span(S) = ae1 + be2 + ce3 : a, b, c ∈ R . We can easily see that
 
 a 
this set is the same as b : a, b, c ∈ R , or, in other words, Span(S) = R3 .
c

d ) In Rn , S = {e1 , e2 , . . . , en }.

Similarly to the previous item we consider the subspace

 
Span(S) = a1 e1 + · · · + an en : ai ∈ R .

 
 a1 
 .. 
Equivalently, this set can be written as  .  : ai ∈ R , or, in other words, Span(S) = Rn .
an

1
 e) Consider the vector space of functions from R to R, define S = {1, x, x2 , . . . , xn }.

In this case,  
n
Span(S) = a0 + a1 x + · · · + an x : ai ∈ R ,

where we consider the usual operations of functions. Then Span(S) equals the set of polyno-
mial functions with degree at most n.

f ) Consider the vector space of functions from R to R and S = {1, x, x2 , . . .}. What if we consider
the same S in the space of polynomials with coefficents in R?

In general, for an infinite set S, the definition of Span(S) doesn’t change—Span(S) is the
subspace of all finite linear combinations of S. With this, we see that for the given S,
 
Span(S) = a0 + a1 x + · · · + an xn : n ∈ N, ai ∈ R ,

thus Span(S) is equal to the subspace of polynomial functions. If we consider the same S in
the vector space of polynomials Span(S) is the whole space.
   
1 0 0 0
g) In Mat2×2 (R), S = , .
0 0 0 1

In this case,
        
1 0 0 0 a 0
Span(S) = a +b : a, b ∈ R = : a, b ∈ R .
0 0 0 1 0 b

So Span(S) is the subspace of diagonal matrices.

     
 1 1 3 
2. Is it true that Span(S) = R3 if S = 1 , −1 , 1 ?
1 −1 1

No, it isn’t true.

First method. The span Span(S) is the subspace of linear combinations of these three vectors, i.e.
     
 1 1 3 
Span(S) = a 1 + b −1 + c 1 : a, b, c ∈ R .
1 −1 1
     
1 1 3
Note that 2 1 + −1 = 1 . So this subspace can be written as
1 −1 1
   
 1 1 
a 1 + b −1 : a, b ∈ R .
   
1 −1

2
        
0 0 1 1
We claim that 0 6∈ Span(S). Suppose not, then 0 = a 1 + b −1 for some a, b ∈ R.
1 1 1  −1

0
This implies a = −b, a = b and a − b = 1, which is impossible, hence 0 6∈ Span(S).
1
Second method. Checking whether a given vector belongs to Span(S) is equivalent to solving a
system of linear equations with three unknowns a, b, c. Consider the matrix
 
1 1 3
M = 1 −1 1 .
1 −1 1

By performing elementary row operations we can get M to row-echelon form. We subtract the
second row from the third one. Then we subtract the first row from the second one, we obtain
     
1 1 3 1 1 3 1 1 3
1 −1 1 → 1 −1 1 → 0 −2 −2 .
1 −1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

This implies that the rank of M is two. Now, consider the augmented matrix
 
1 1 3 0
0 −2 −2 0 .
0 0 0 1
 
0
This matrix has rank three, hence the system is inconsistent. So 0 6∈ Span(S).
1

3. Which of the following subsets of R3 are spanning sets for R3 ? Explain your answer.
 
 1 
a) 1 ,
1
 
1
The subspace generated by 1 is a line through the origin so it can’t be R3 . For instance,
  1
1
the vector 0 lies outside this subspace.
1
   
 1 0 
b) 0 , 0 ,
0 1
   
1 0
The subspace generated by 0 and 0 is a plane through the origin so it can’t be R3 .
0 1

3
  
0
For instance, the vector 1 lies outside this subspace.
0
       
 1 0 0 1 
c) 0 , 1 , 0 , 1 ,
0 0 1 1

Since this set contains the vectors e1 , e2 , e3 , the subspace spanned by these four vectors equals
R3 . In general, for any subsets S1 , S2 such that S1 ⊆ S2 , we have Span(S1 ) ⊆ Span(S2 ).
     
 1 2 4 
d) 2 ,  0  , 4 .
1 −1 1

3
We can proceed
 as inExercise
 2 to conclude that this set is not a 
spanning
 set
 forR . Note that
1 2 4  1 2 
2 2 +  0  = 4 . Their span is then the subspace a 2 + b  0  : a, b ∈ R ,
1 −1 1   1 −1  
a + 2b 1
i.e. the subspace of vectors of the form  2a . We conclude that the vector 0 isn’t
a−b 0
in this subspace.

4. If U is a plane passing through the origin in R3 and W is the line through the origin that is perpendicular
to U , what is U + W ?

The fact that U is a plane means that there is a pair of non-zero vectors, say, u, v ∈ R3 such that
u 6∈ Span(v), v 6∈ Span(u) and Span(u, v) = U . Now, there is a non-zero vector w ∈ R3 such that
Span(w) = W and w · u = w · v = 0. Given any vector x ∈ R3 , we can represent it as (x − p) + p,
x·w
where p is the orthogonal projection of x onto W i.e. p = ||w||2 w (we’ll see this in greater detail

when we study scalar products and orthogonality). We have p ∈ W . Moreover, (x − p) ∈ U since

(x − p) · w = 0. Therefore x ∈ U + W . We conclude that

U + W = {au + bv + cw : a, b, c ∈ R} = R3 .

5. Let V be an arbitrary vector space. Show that Span(U ∪ W ) = Span(U ) + Span(W ) for any two vector
subspaces U, W of V .

This is true even if U, W aren’t subspaces. Consider any two subsets S1 , S2 of V . We want to show
that Span(S1 ∪ S2 ) = Span(S1 ) + Span(S2 ). In order to do so, we prove both inclusions. First, take
v ∈ Span(S1 ) + Span(S2 ). Then
X n m
X
v= ai ui + bi wj
i=1 j=1

for some a1 , . . . , an , b1 , . . . , bm ∈ F, u1 , . . . , un ∈ S1 and w1 , . . . , wm ∈ S2 . Since ui , wj ∈ S1 ∪ S2

for every i, j we see that v ∈ Span(S1 ∪ S2 ). Hence Span(S1 ) + Span(S2 ) ⊆ Span(S1 ∪ S2 ). Now,

4
 Pn
take v ∈ Span(S1 ∪ S2 ). Then v = i=1 ai ui for some n ∈ N, a1 , . . . , an ∈ F, u1 , . . . , un ∈ S1 ∪ S2 .
If for every i we have that ui ∈ S1 then v ∈ Span(S1 ) ⊆ Span(S1 ) + Span(S2 ) and we’re done. A
similar conclusion can be drawn if for every i we have that ui ∈ S2 . So we can assume without loss
of generality that there is an l with 1 ≤ l < n such that u1 , . . . , ul ∈ S1 and ul+1 , . . . , un ∈ S2 \ S1 .
From here, we have
Xl Xn
v= ai ui + aj uj .
i=1 j=l+1
| {z } | {z }
∈Span(S1 ) ∈Span(S2 )

Thus v ∈ Span(S1 ) + Span(S2 ). Therefore Span(S1 ∪ S2 ) ⊆ Span(S1 ) + Span(S2 ). We conclude

that Span(S1 ∪ S2 ) = Span(S1 ) + Span(S2 ).

6. Let u1 , . . . , ur be generators of a subspace U of Rn . Let W be the set of all elements of Rn which are
perpendicular to u1 , . . . , ur , i.e.

W = {w ∈ Rn : w · ui = 0 for 1 ≤ i ≤ r},

where · denotes the standard dot product on Rn . Show that the vectors of W are perpendicular to
every element of U .

Let u ∈ U be an arbitrary element. We know that there are a1 . . . , ar ∈ R such that u = a1 u1 +

· · · + ar ur . Take w ∈ W . The dot product of w and u satisfies
r
X r
X
w·u=w·( ai ui ) = ai (w · ui ) = 0,
i=1 i=1

since w · ui = 0 for every i. Therefore every element of W is perpendicular to every element of U .

7. Let v be a non-zero vector in Rn and let λ be a fixed real number. Show that the set of all elements w
in Rn such that v · w ≥ λ is convex.

Let’s call this set S, namely, S = {w ∈ Rn : v · w ≥ λ}. Let w1 , w2 ∈ S. We’ll see that the line
segment determined by w1 and w2 is contained in S. For this, let t ∈ [0, 1]. Consider the vector
(1 − t)w1 + tw2 , multiplying by v we get

v · ((1 − t)w1 + tw2 ) = (1 − t)v · w1 + tv · w2 .

The right-hand side of this equation satisfies

(1 − t)v · w1 + tv · w2 ≥ (1 − t)λ + tλ = λ

since w1 , w2 ∈ S. Therefore (1 − t)w1 + tw2 ∈ S. As t was arbitrary, we conclude that the line
segment determined by w1 , w2 is contained in S. Therefore S is convex.

8. Let V be a vector space over R. Let S1 , S2 be convex subsets of V . Take v ∈ V and λ ∈ R. Show that
the following subsets of V are also convex sets:

a) The intersection S1 ∩ S2 .

5
 Let w1 , w2 ∈ S1 ∩ S2 . Take t ∈ [0, 1]. Consider the vector (1 − t)w1 + tw2 . Since w1 , w2 ∈ S1
and S1 is convex, (1 − t)w1 + tw2 ∈ S1 . Similarly, (1 − t)w1 + tw2 ∈ S2 . This yields

(1 − t)w1 + tw2 ∈ S1 ∩ S2 .

Therefore S1 ∩ S2 is convex.

b) v + S1 := {v + s : s ∈ S1 }.

Let w1 , w2 ∈ v + S1 and t ∈ [0, 1]. Consider the vector (1 − t)w1 + tw2 . We know that there
are s, s0 ∈ S1 such that w1 = v + s, w2 = v + s0 . Now,

(1 − t)w1 + tw2 = (1 − t)(v + s) + t(v + s0 ) = v + (1 − t)s + ts0 ,

| {z }
∈S1

since s, s0 ∈ S1 and S1 is convex. So (1 − t)w1 + tw2 ∈ v + S1 . Therefore v + S1 is convex.

c) λS1 := {λs : s ∈ S1 }.

We follow the exact same reasoning as in the previous item. Let w1 , w2 ∈ λS1 and t ∈ [0, 1].
Consider the vector (1−t)w1 +tw2 . We know that there are s, s0 ∈ S1 such that w1 = λs, w2 =
λs0 . Now,
(1 − t)w1 + tw2 = (1 − t)λs + tλs0 = λ ((1 − t)s + ts0 ),
| {z }
∈S1
0
since s, s ∈ S1 and S1 is convex. So (1 − t)w1 + tw2 ∈ λS1 . Therefore λS1 is convex.