Bilinear forms

0. Introduction Similarly

sider a finite dimensional, inner product space V
or the ield Rof real numbers. The inner product is
function from V x Vto Rsatisfying the following
nditions
(0) (au + Buz, v) =a(u|, v) + B(u2, v)
(ii) (4, av + Bvz) =a(u, vj)+ B(u,v2)
In other words the inner product is a scalar val
d function of the two variables u and v and is
linear function in each of the two variables. This
pe of scalar valued functions are called bilinear
rms. In this chapter we study bilinear forms on finite
mensional vector spaces.
1. Bilinear forms
efinition. Let V be a vector space over a field .
bilinear form on V is a function f: Vx V ’
uch that
0(u, avy +By) = a0 (u, vË) + B0 (u, v)
3. Suppose V is a vector space over a field F.
Let fi and fa be two linear functionals on V,
(ie) fi and f are linear transformations from
Vto F. Then f : Vx V ’ F defined by
f(u, v) = fi(u) f2(v) isa bilinear form.
For, f(auy + Buz, v)
= fi(au + Buz) f2(v)
= (afi(u)+ Bfi(uz)]f2(v)
(since fi is linear)
= afi (u1)f() + Bfi (u2) f2(v)
= af(u1, v) + Bf (u2, V).
Similarly.
F f(u, avy + B) = af (u, v) + Bf (u, va).

) f(au + Buz, v) = af (uj, v) + Bf(u2, v) Exercises

(ü) f(u, avy + Bvz) = af (u, v) + Bf (u, v) 1. Show that the function f defined by
where a, BE F and u1, u2, V), V2 E V. f(x, y) = X|y1 + x2y2 t + Xn yn
where x = (x|, X2, ..Xn) and
In other words f is linear as a function of any one
y= Y; y2,. , yn) is a bilinear form
Tthe two variables when the other is fixed. on V,(F).

xamples 2. Which of the following are bilinear forms on

V2(R)?
1. (Ler V be a vector space over R. Then an inner Let x = (I,x) and y = (V1, y2).
product on V is a bilinear form on V

2. Let Vbe any vector space over a field F. Then
the zero function 0: Vx V ’ F given by
O(u, v) =0 is a bilinear form.
For,
0(ou + Buz, v) =0
= a) t BO
= o0 (u, v) + Bo (#2, v)
(a) fx, y) = 1.
(b) f(r, y) = ( - y)+ xy2.
(c) fr, y) = (x1 + y) - (| - )?.
() fx, y) = x|y2 - X2 y1
Answers. (c) and (d) are bilinear forms.
Notation. Let V be a vector space over a field F.
The: the set of all bilinear forms on V is denoted by
L(V, V, F).
 then f =g (veriTyJ.

Solved Problems
bilinear form defined on
Problem 1. Let f be the
, v)] =X|y| t x2y2 where x = (1,X2)
V2(R) by f(x, y)
(y1, y2). Find the matrix of f.
and y =
(i) w.r.t. the standard basis (e,e2).
i) w.r.t. the basis ((1, 1),(1, 2)).
Solution.
(i) fe,ej) = f((1, 0), (1, 0))
can be =Ix 1 +0x0=1

r form
Similarly
f(ej, eg)=0
f(ez, e)=0
f(ez, eg)= 1.
=I+4=5. sionn.
2 3
3 5 8.2. Ouadratic forms
Definition. A bilinear form f defined on a vec
if
Dilinear form tor space V is called a symmetric bilinear form
f(u, v) = f(v, u) for allu, vE V.
yI with respect to the
). Examples
bilinear from f defined
= X|y| +x3y3 where () Let V be a vector space over R.Then any inner
y= (y, y2, y3) w.r.t. product defined on Vis a symmetric bilinear
form.
1S (i) The bilinear form 0defined in example 2 of
0. 1. 1),(1,0, 1)) 8.1 is a symmetric bilinear form.
(iii) Let f be a bilinear form on V.Then the bilin
ear form f defined by
fi(u, v) = f(u, v) + f(v, u) is a symmetric
bilinear form.

Theorem 8.3. A bilinear form f defined on V is

symmetric iff its matrix (a,) w.r.t any one basis
(b) {V1, V2, Vn) is symmetric.
2
S.4 Modern Algebra

=YA'xT The quadratic form q determined by A w.t.

the standard basis for V3(R) is given by
= YAX
0
= f(v, u)
q(v) = (*1, *2, X3)| 0 2
,f isa symmet ic bilinear form.
Deinition. (Letf be a symmetric bilinear form =x+2xj+ 3*j.
defined by Then the quadratic form associated
with f is the mapping q: V ’ F defined by We say that this quadratic form q is in the
q(v) = f(v, v). The matrix of the bilinear form f diagonal form.
is called the matrix of the associated quadratic form q. 4./ Consider the quadratic form defined on V2 (R)
by q(x, x2) = 2xft xx2 + x. Then the
symmetric matrix associated with g can be
Examples found as follows.
1. Consider the bilinear form f defind on V,(F) Let
by f(u, v) = X|y + x2y2 t . . . t Xn Yni
4 = (X|,... ..,Xn), V = (y1,. , yn). 2x +x1xn + x = (x1, x2)
Then the quadratic form q associated with f
is given by = ax + 2bx|x2 + cx;
q(u) = f(u, u) = x+...... +x.
2. Let A be a symmetric matrix of order n associ a = 2; b= ;ic= 1.
ated with the symmetric bilinear form f. Then
2
the corresponding quadratic form is given A 2
by
q(X) = XAX' = ) aijXjXj
i,j=l
Exercises

For exarmpleconsider-thé symmetric matrix 1. Find the quadratic forms associated with the
2 following matrices w.r.t. the standard basis.
A = 2 4 7
2 -3
3 7
(a) -3 2 4

The quadratic form q determined by A w.r.t. 4 -5

the siandard basis for V;(R) is given by 2 3
(b) 2 -2 4
2 4 3 -4
q(v) = (x1, X), X3
3 7 6 quadratic
2. Findthe matrices for the following
=xt4x+ 6x + 4x|*2+ 14x2x3 +6x|x3. forms.

3. Consider the diagonal matrix (a) xf + 4x1X2 + 3x,in V2(R)

V2(R)
0
3x1x2 in
(b) 2r +x; +6x1x?
A 0 2 0 in Vs(R)
0 3 (c) 2x?+ x;