DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS, I.I.T.
MADRAS
MA2031: Linear Algebra for Engineers
Jan-May 2024
Assignment 1
1. Show that the set of positive real numbers forms a vector space under
the operations defined by x + y = xy and αx = xα .
2. In each of the following, a set V is given and some operations are
defined. Verify if V is a vector space with these operations. Justify.
(a) V = R2 , for (a1 , a2 ), (b1 , b2 ) ∈ V and α ∈ R, define
(a1 , a2 ) + (b1 , b2 ) = (a1 + b1 , a2 + b2 ), α(a1 , a2 ) = (0, 0) if α = 0
and α(a1 , a2 ) = (αa1 , a2 /α) if α ̸= 0.
(b) V = C2 , for (a1 , a2 ), (b1 , b2 ) ∈ V and α ∈ C, define (a1 , a2 ) +
(b1 , b2 ) = (a1 + 2b1 , a2 + 3b2 ), α(a1 , a2 ) = (αa1 , αa2 ).
(c) V = R2 , for (a1 , a2 ), (b1 , b2 ) ∈ V and α ∈ R define (a1 , a2 ) +
(b1 , b2 )= (a1 + b1 , a2 + b2 ), α(a1 , a2 ) = (a1 , 0).
3. In each of the following, a vector space V and a subset W are given.
Check wheather W is a subspace of V .
(a) V = R2 ; W = {(x1 , x2 ) : x2 = 2x1 − 1}
(b) V = R3 ; W = {(x1 , x2 , x3 ) : 2x1 − x2 − x3 = 0}
(c) V = C([0, 1]); W = {f ∈ V : f is differentiable}
(d) V = C([−1, 1]); W = {f ∈ V : f is an odd function}
(e) V = C([0, 1]); W = {f ∈ V : f (x) ≥ 0 for all x}
(f) V = P3 ; W is the set of all polynomials a0 + a1 x + a2 x2 + a3 x3 for
which a0 = 0.
(g) V = P3 ; W is the set of all polynomials a0 + a1 x + a2 x2 + a3 x3 for
which a0 + a1 + a2 + a3 = 0.
(h) V = P3 ; W is the set of all polynomials a0 + a1 x + a2 x2 + a3 x3 for
which a0 , a1 , a2 , a3 are integers.
(i) V = P3 ; W is the set of all polynomials of the form a0 +a1 x+a2 x2 .
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4. Let V be a vector space and W, A, B be subsets of V . Prove the fol-
lowing statements:
(a) W is a subspace of V if and only if span(W ) = W .
(b) If A ⊆ B, then span(A) ⊆ span(B).
(c) span (A ∪ B) = span (A) + span (B)
(d) span (A ∩ B) ⊆ span (A) ∩ span (B).
5. Let W1 and W2 be subspaces of vector space V . Prove that.
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(a) W1 W2 and W1 + W2 are subspaces of V .
(b) W1 + W2 = W1 if and only if W2 ⊆ W1 .
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(c) W1 W2 is a subspace if and only if W1 ⊆ W2 or W2 ⊆ W1 .
6. Give an example of three linearly dependent vectors in R2 such that
none of the three is a scalar multiple of another.
7. In each of the following, a vector space V and a set A of vectors in
V is given. Determine wheather A is linearly dependent and if it is,
express one of the vectors in A as a linear combination of the remaining
vectors.
(a) V = R3 , A = {(1, 2, 3), (4, 5, 6), (7, 8, 9)}
(b) V = R3 , A = {(1, −3, −2), (−3, 1, 3), (2, 5, 7)}
(c) V = P3 , A = {x2 − 3x + 5, x3 + 2x2 − x + 1, x3 + 3x2 − 1}
(d) V = P3 ,
A = {−2x3 − 11x2 + 3x + 2, x3 − 2x2 + 3x + 1, 2x3 + x2 + 3x − 2}
(e) V = P3 ,
A = {6x3 − 3x2 + x + 2, x3 − x2 + 2x + 3, 2x3 + x2 − 3x + 1}
(f) V is the set of all matrices of order 2 × 2
1 0 0 0 0 1
A={ , , }
0 1 0 1 1 0
(g) V is vector space of all real valued functions defined on R.
A = {2, sin2 x, cos2 x,}
(h) V is same as in (h), A = {1, sin x, sin 2x}.
(i) V is same as in (h), A = {cos 2x, sin2 x, cos2 x}.
(j) V = C([−π, π]), A = {sin x, sin 2x, ..., sin nx} where n is some
natural number.
