People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria

Abdelhamid Mehri University Constantine 2

Faculty of New Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Engineering
Instructor: Dr. SLIMANI
Year: 1st year
Module: Algebra 2

Solution – Tutorial Sheet 01

Vector Spaces

Objective of the sheet: At the end of this session, students will be able to understand and manipulate the
main concepts of vector spaces, including subspaces, linear combinations, linear independence, bases, dimen-
sions, and direct sums.

Solution of Exercise 1
The Vector Space Structure of F
Let F be the set of all functions from R to R. We verify the vector space axioms: Let f, g, h ∈ F
and λ, µ ∈ R.

1. Associativity of internal law

((f +g)+h)(x) = (f +g)(x)+h(x) = (f (x)+g(x))+h(x) = f (x)+(g(x)+h(x)) = (f +(g+h))(x).

Since R is a vector space, addition is associative.

2. Neutral element:
(f + e)(x) = f (x).
⇔ f (x) + e(x) = f (x) ∀x ∈ R,
which implies
e(x) = 0 ∀x ∈ R, e ∈ F.
Hence, the zero function 0(x) = 0 is the identity element.

3. Inverse element : ∀f, f1 ∈ F , we have

(f + f1 )(x) = 0.

This is equivalent to
f1 (x) = −f (x) = (−f )(x), ∀x ∈ R.
Thus, f1 = −f = f −1 is the a inverse of f .

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 4. Commutativity:

we have (f + g)(x) = f (x) + g(x) = g(x) + f (x) = (g + f )(x).

Since addition in R is commutative, it follows that F (R, R) with + is an abelian group (com-
mutative group).
5. Associativity of scalar multiplication:

∀f ∈ F , ∀λ, µ ∈ R, (λ(µf ))(x) = λ(µf (x)) = (λµ)f (x).

6. Neutral element for multiplication:

∀f ∈ F , (1R · f )(x) = f (x).

7. Distributivity:
∀f, g ∈ F , ∀λ ∈ R, (λ(f + g))(x) = λf (x) + λg(x),
∀f ∈ F , ∀λ, µ ∈ R. ((λ + µ)f )(x) = λf (x) + µf (x).

Since R is a vector space, all vector space axioms are satisfied. Therefore,
( )
F, +, ·

is a vector space over R.

II) The space E = R∗+

Operations:
x ⊕ y = xy, λ ⊗ x = xλ .
Let
E = R∗+ = (0, +∞)
with operations defined by

x ⊕ y = xy, λ ⊗ x = xλ , for λ ∈ R.

We prove that (E, ⊕, ⊗) is a vector space over R ⇔ We verify the vector space axioms:

Step 1: (E, ⊕) is an abelian group

1. If x, y ∈ E, then x > 0 and y > 0, hence xy > 0. Thus x ⊕ y = xy ∈ E.

2. Associativity: For all x, y, z ∈ E,

(x ⊕ y) ⊕ z = (xy)z = x(yz) = x ⊕ (y ⊕ z),

since multiplication in R is associative.

3. Commutativity:
x ⊕ y = xy = yx = y ⊕ x.

4. Neutral element: We have ∀x ∈ E,

x ⊕ e = x.
This gives xe = x, hence e = 1. Since 1 > 0, we have 1 ∈ E (e ∈ E). Thus the zero vector of
this structure is
0E = 1.

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 5. Additive inverse: For x ∈ E, we look for y ∈ E such that

x ⊕ y = 1.

This gives xy = 1, hence

1
y= = x−1 .
x
Since x > 0, we have x−1 > 0.

Therefore (E, ⊕) is an abelian group (Commutative group).

Step 2: Scalar multiplication axioms

1. Compatibility with scalar addition:

(λ + µ) ⊗ x = xλ+µ = xλ xµ = (λ ⊗ x) ⊕ (µ ⊗ x).

2. Compatibility with vector addition:

λ ⊗ (x ⊕ y) = (xy)λ = xλ y λ = (λ ⊗ x) ⊕ (λ ⊗ y).

3. Associativity of scalar multiplication:

λ ⊗ (µ ⊗ x) = λ ⊗ (xµ ) = (xµ )λ = xλµ = (λµ) ⊗ x.

4. Neutral element:
1 ⊗ x = x1 = x.
Since 1 is the neutral element of (E, ⊕), this is the zero vector.

All vector space axioms over R are satisfied. Hence

(E, ⊕, ⊗) is a vector space over R.

Solution of Exercise 2
1) Subspaces
We use the definition:
A nonempty subset F ⊂ R3 is a subspace if:
1. F ̸= ∅,

2. ∀u, v ∈ F ⇒ u + v ∈ F ,

3. ∀λ ∈ R∀u ∈ F ⇒ λu ∈ F .
Remark: We can use the condition

∀λ, µ ∈ R, ∀u, v ∈ F ⇒ λu + µv ∈ F.

1) Proof that E1 , E2 , E3 are subspaces of R3 .

(a) The set E1

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 E1 = {(x, y, z) ∈ R3 : y = 2x, z = −x}.
Nonempty:
For x = 0, we obtain (0, 0, 0) ∈ E1 . Hence E1 ̸= ∅.
Closed under addition:
Let
u = (x1 , y1 , z1 ), v = (x2 , y2 , z2 ) ∈ E1 .
Then
y1 = 2x1 , z1 = −x1 , y2 = 2x2 , z2 = −x2 .
Now,
u + v = (x1 + x2 , y1 + y2 , z1 + z2 ).
We compute:
y1 + y2 = 2x1 + 2x2 = 2(x1 + x2 ),
z1 + z2 = −x1 − x2 = −(x1 + x2 ).
Thus u + v ∈ E1 .
Closed under scalar multiplication:
Let u = (x, y, z) ∈ E1 and λ ∈ R. Since y = 2x and z = −x, we have

λu = (λx, λy, λz).

Then
λy = 2(λx), λz = −(λx).
Hence λu ∈ E1 .
Therefore E1 is a subspace.

(b) The set E2

E2 = {(x, y, z) ∈ R3 : x + y + z = 0}.
Nonempty:
(0, 0, 0) ∈ E2 since 0 + 0 + 0 = 0.
Closed under addition:
Let
u = (x1 , y1 , z1 ), v = (x2 , y2 , z2 ) ∈ E2 .
Then
x1 + y1 + z1 = 0, x2 + y2 + z2 = 0.
Adding,
(x1 + x2 ) + (y1 + y2 ) + (z1 + z2 ) = 0.
Thus u + v ∈ E2 .
Closed under scalar multiplication:
Let u ∈ E2 and λ ∈ R. Since x + y + z = 0,

λx + λy + λz = λ(x + y + z) = 0.
Hence λu ∈ E2 .
Therefore E2 is a subspace.

(c) The set E3

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 E3 = {(x, y, z) ∈ R3 : x + y = 0}.
Nonempty:
(0, 0, 0) ∈ E3 .
Closed under addition:
Let
u = (x1 , y1 , z1 ), v = (x2 , y2 , z2 ) ∈ E3 .
Then
x1 + y1 = 0, x2 + y2 = 0.
Thus
(x1 + x2 ) + (y1 + y2 ) = 0,
so u + v ∈ E3 .
Closed under scalar multiplication:
Let u ∈ E3 and λ ∈ R. Since x + y = 0,

λx + λy = λ(x + y) = 0.
Hence λu ∈ E3 .
Therefore E3 is a subspace.

2) Determination of the intersections.

(a) E1 ∩ E2
From E1 :
y = 2x, z = −x.
Substitute into x + y + z = 0:

x + 2x − x = 2x = 0 ⇒ x = 0.
Hence y = 0, z = 0 and

E1 ∩ E2 = {(0, 0, 0)}.

(b) E2 ∩ E3
From E3 :
x + y = 0 ⇒ y = −x.
Substitute into x + y + z = 0:

x − x + z = 0 ⇒ z = 0.
Thus
E2 ∩ E3 = {(x, −x, 0) : x ∈ R}.

3) E1 ∪ E2 is not a subspace.
Take
u = (1, 2, −1) ∈ E1 , v = (1, −1, 0) ∈ E2 .
Then
u + v = (2, 1, −1).
Check:
1 ̸= 2 · 2, 2 + 1 − 1 = 2 ̸= 0.

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 Thus u + v ∈ / E1 ∪ E2 .
Therefore E1 ∪ E2 is not closed under addition.
Hence it is not a subspace of R3 .

Solution of Exercise 3
We consider
E1 = {(x, y, z) ∈ R3 : x + y = z}, E2 = {a(1, 1, 1) : a ∈ R}.

1) Basis and dimension of E1 and E2

(a) Basis of E1
Let (x, y, z) ∈ E1 . Then
x + y = z.
Thus every vector of E1 has the form
(x, y, x + y).
We rewrite:
(x, y, x + y) = x(1, 0, 1) + y(0, 1, 1).
Hence
E1 = Span{(1, 0, 1), (0, 1, 1)}.
Now we prove that these two vectors are linearly independent.
Let
α(1, 0, 1) + β(0, 1, 1) = (0, 0, 0).
Then
(α, β, α + β) = (0, 0, 0).
Thus
α = 0, β = 0.
Hence the vectors are linearly independent.
Therefore,
B1 = {(1, 0, 1), (0, 1, 1)}
is a basis of E1 , and

dim(E1 ) = 2.

(b) Basis of E2
By definition,
E2 = {a(1, 1, 1) : a ∈ R} = Span{(1, 1, 1)}.
Since (1, 1, 1) ̸= (0, 0, 0), it is linearly independent.
Thus
B2 = {(1, 1, 1)}
is a basis of E2 , and

dim(E2 ) = 1.

2) Proof that E1 ⊕ E2 = R3
To prove that the sum is direct and equals R3 , we show:

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 1. E1 + E2 = R3 ,

2. E1 ∩ E2 = {0}.

(a) Compute E1 ∩ E2
Let v ∈ E1 ∩ E2 .
Then
v = a(1, 1, 1)
for some a ∈ R.
Since v ∈ E1 , it must satisfy
x + y = z.
But for v = (a, a, a):

a+a=a ⇒ 2a = a.
Thus
a = 0.
Hence
E1 ∩ E2 = {(0, 0, 0)}.

(b) Dimension argument

We have
dim(E1 ) = 2, dim(E2 ) = 1.
Since
E1 ∩ E2 = {0},
we use the formula:

dim(E1 + E2 ) = dim(E1 ) + dim(E2 ) = 2 + 1 = 3.

But R3 has dimension 3.
Therefore,
E 1 + E 2 = R3 .
Since the intersection is trivial, the sum is direct.
Hence
E 1 ⊕ E 2 = R3 .

3) Are E1 and E2 supplementary subspaces? Justification:

By definition, two subspaces F and G of a vector space V are said to be supplementary if and
only if their direct sum equals the entire space, that is,

F ⊕ G = V.

Two subspaces are supplementary if:

R3 = E 1 ⊕ E 2 .
Since we have proven that
E 1 ⊕ E 2 = R3 ,
we conclude that

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 E1 and E2 are supplementary subspaces of R3 .
We are given
v1 = (1, 2, 0), v2 = (0, 1, 1), v3 = (1, 3, 1), v4 = (2, 5, 1)
in V = R3 .

Solution of Exercise 4
1) Express v3 and v4 as linear combinations of v1 and v2
(a) For v3 :
We look for scalars a and b such that
v3 = av1 + bv2 .
Write the equation componentwise:

(1, 3, 1) = a(1, 2, 0) + b(0, 1, 1) = (a, 2a + b, b).

Comparing components:


a = 1
2a + b = 3


b=1
Check: 2(1) + 1 = 3
Hence
v3 = 1 · v1 + 1 · v2 = v1 + v2 .
(b) For v4 :
We look for scalars c and d such that
v4 = cv1 + dv2 .
Write the equation:

(2, 5, 1) = c(1, 2, 0) + d(0, 1, 1) = (c, 2c + d, d)

Comparing components:


c = 2
2c + d = 5


d=1
Check: 2 · 2 + 1 = 5
Hence
v4 = 2v1 + 1v2 = 2v1 + v2 .

Deduction:
The set {v1 , v2 , v3 , v4 } is linearly dependent because v3 (and v4 ) can be expressed as a linear
combination of the other vectors in the set. By definition, a set is linearly independent if and only if
no vector in the set can be written as a linear combination of the others.

2) Maximal linearly independent subset

The vectors v1 and v2 are clearly linearly independent:

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 αv1 + βv2 = 0 =⇒ α(1, 2, 0) + β(0, 1, 1) = (α, 2α + β, β) = (0, 0, 0)
Then
α = 0, β=0
Hence {v1 , v2 } is linearly independent.
Since v3 and v4 are linear combinations of v1 and v2 , adding them would make the set dependent.

A maximal linearly independent subset is {v1 , v2 }

3) Show that {v1 , v2 } generates W = Span{v1 , v2 , v3 , v4 }

By definition,
W = Span{v1 , v2 , v3 , v4 },
meaning that any w ∈ W can be written as

w = av1 + bv2 + cv3 + dv4 .

Substituting the results from Part 1, we have v3 = v1 + v2 and v4 = 2v1 + v2 , we get

w = av1 + bv2 + c(v1 + v2 ) + d(2v1 + v2 )

w = (a + c + 2d)v1 + (b + c + d)v2 .
Since any vector in W can be written solely as a combination of v1 and v2 , the set

{v1 , v2 }

is a generating set for W .

4) Dimension and basis of W

Since {v1 , v2 } is linearly independent and generates W , it forms a **basis** of W .

BW = {v1 , v2 }
The **dimension** of W is therefore

dim(W ) = 2 .

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