Indian Institute of Technology Mandi

MA-512 (Linear Algebra)

Tutorial-2
Vector Spaces and Subspaces

1. Prove that the set of even functions defined on the real line with the operations of
addition and scalar multiplication is a vector space.

2. Let V denote the set of ordered pairs of real numbers. If (a1 , a2 ) and (b1 , b2 ) are
elements of V and c ∈ R, define

(a1 , a2 ) + (b1 , b2 ) = (a1 + b1 , a2 ) and c(a1 , a2 ) = (ca1 , a2 ).

Is V a vector space over R with these operations? Justify your answer.

3. Let V = {(a1 , a2 ) : a1 , a2 ∈ R}. Define addition of elements of V coordinate wise and

for (a1 , a2 ) in V and c ∈ R, define
(
(0, 0) if c = 0
c(a1 , a2 ) =
ca1 , ac2


if c ̸= 0.

Is V a vector space over R with these operations? Justify your answer.

4. If H is a subfield of a field F, then show that F can be considered as a vector space

over H.

5. Is the set M of 2 × 1 column matrices a vector space over R with respect to vector
addition and scalar multiplication defined as

[aij ] + [bij ] = [aij + bij ] and α[aij ] = [−αij ],

where [aij ], [bij ] ∈ M and α ∈ R.

6. Determine whether the set of all 2 × 2 matrices form a vector space over field
 
 a a
F= : a∈R .
a a

7. Let V be the set of sequences {an } of real numbers. For {an }, {bn } ∈ V and any real
number t, define

{an } + {bn } = {an + bn } and t{an } = {tan }.

Prove that, with these operations, V is a vector space over R.

8. Let V be the space of all scalar sequences and

P∞
l1 (N) = {x ∈ V : j=1 |x(j)| < ∞}

the set of all absolutely summable sequences, is a subspace of V.

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 9. Determine whether the following sets are subspaces of R3 under the operations of
addition and scalar multiplication defined on R3 . Justify your answer.

(a) W1 = {(a1 , a2 , a3 ) ∈ R3 : a1 = 3a2 and a3 = −a2 }

a1 −1 a2 +2 a3
(b) W2 = {(a1 , a2 , a3 ) ∈ R3 : 2 = 3 = 4 }
(c) W3 = {(a1 , a2 , a3 ) ∈ R3 : a1 a2 = 0}
(d) W4 = {(a1 , a2 , a3 ) ∈ R3 : a1 + a2 + a3 = 0 and a1 − a2 + a3 = 1}
(e) W6 = {(a1 , a2 , a3 ) ∈ R3 : 5a21 − 3a22 + 6a23 = 0}

10. Let F be a field and let n be a positive integer (n ≥ 2). Let V be the vector space of
all n × n matrices over F. Which of the following sets of matrices A in V are subspaces
of V?

(a) all invertible A;

(b) all non-invertible A;
(c) all A such that AB = BA, where B is some fixed matrix in V;
(d) all A such that A2 = A

11. Let V be the (real) vector space of all functions f from R into R. Which of the
following sets of functions are subspace of V ?

(a) all f such that f (x2 ) = f (x)2 ;

(b) all f such that f (0) = f (1);
(c) all f such that f (3) = 1 + f (−5);
(d) all f such that f (−1) = 0;
(e) all f which are continuous.

12. Show that the parabola y = x2 is not a subspace of R2 .

13. Show that the set of convergent sequences {an } is a subspace of the vector space V =
set of sequences of real numbers.

14. Determine the smallest subspace containing the first quadrant?

15. Is the set W = {f (x) ∈ P (F ) : f(x)=0 or f(x) has degree n} a subspace of P(F) if
n ≥ 1?

16. Show that any plane passing through origin is a subspace of R3 .

17. Let V be the vector space of polynomials over R and S = {x, x2 + 1, x3 − 1}. Find
linear span of S, Does 3x2 + 2x belongs to span(S).

18. Prove that the non zero rows in an echelon matrix form a L.I. set.

19. If X1 , X2 , ...., Xr is a linearly independent system of n × 1 column vectors and A is an

n × n non singular matrix, Show that AX1 , ....AXr are L.I.

20. In the vector space R(Q), Prove that the set {1, u} is L.I iff u is irrational.

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21. Prove that span(S)= S iff S is a subspace of V.

22. Determine a basis of the subspace spanned by the vectors (−3, 1, 2), (0, 1, 3), (2, 1, 0), (1, 1, 1).

23. Extend the set of vectors (0,1,2), (2,-1,4) to form a basis of R3 .