NPTEL – Physics – Mathematical Physics - 1
Lecture 8
Basis & Dimension
Subspaces
A vector space V is called a subspace of 𝑅 𝑛 if 𝑉 ∈ 𝑅 𝑛 and the linear
operations applicable to 𝑅 𝑛 (as defined earlier) are also applicable to V.
Thus a subset S of a vector space V is a subspace of V if and only if S is non-empty and is
closed under linear operations, that is
𝑥, 𝑦 ∈ 𝑆 implies 𝑥 + 𝑦 ∈ 𝑆
𝑥 ∈ 𝑆 implies 𝛼𝑥 ∈ 𝑆 for all 𝛼 ∈ 𝑅
An example of such a subspace can be given as follows. If P is a set of all polynomials
and if 𝑃𝑛 is a set of polynomials with degree less than n, then 𝑃𝑛 is a subspace of P.
Spanning Set
Let S be a subset of a vector space V the span of the set S, denoted by
span (S), is the smallest subspace of V that contains S. In other words, span (S) is a
subspace of V also for any subspace 𝑊 ⊂ 𝑉, one should have 𝑆 ⊂ 𝑊 which implies
𝑆𝑝𝑎𝑛(𝑆) ⊂ 𝑊. Example of the span can be given as follows. Let S be a subset of the
⃗⃗1 , 𝑉
vector space V. If 𝑆 ={𝑉 ⃗⃗2 , …….𝑉
⃗⃗𝑛 }, then span (S) is the set of all linear combinations
𝛼1 𝑣⃗1 + 𝛼2 𝑣⃗2 + … … . . 𝛼𝑛 𝑣⃗𝑛 where all 𝛼𝑖 ∈ 𝑅
10 00
As a second example, consider a subspace of 𝑀2×2 (𝑅). The span of ( ) and ( )
00 01
consists of all matrices of the form,
10 00 𝑎0
𝑎( )+𝑏( ) = ( )
00 01 0𝑏
That is the subspace of diagonal matrices.
Now if span(S) = V, then S is called as the spanning set of V. So, as in the former
example, the spanning set for 𝑀2×2 (𝑅) as
𝛼𝛽 10 01 00 00
( ) = 𝛼( )+𝛽( )+𝛾( )+𝛿( )
𝛾𝛿 00 00 10 01
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Example 1.
Let 𝑉 ⃗⃗1 = (1,2,0) and 𝑉
⃗⃗2 = (3,1,1) and 𝑊
⃗⃗⃗⃗ = (4, −7,3). Find whether 𝑊
⃗⃗⃗⃗ belongs to span
⃗⃗1 , 𝑉
(𝑉 ⃗⃗2 ).
Solution
⃗⃗⃗⃗ = 𝛼1 𝑉
Here we have to check 𝛼1 , 𝛼2 ∈ 𝑅 such that 𝑊 ⃗⃗1 + 𝛼2 𝑉
⃗⃗2 . Thus we
get a system of linear equations,
4 = 𝛼1 + 3𝛼2
−7 = 2𝛼1 + 𝛼2
3 = 𝛼2
Hence 𝛼1 = −5 and 𝛼2 = 3
⃗⃗⃗⃗ = −5𝑉
Hence 𝑊 ⃗⃗1 + 3𝑉
⃗⃗2 ∈ Span(𝑉
⃗⃗1 , 𝑉
⃗⃗2 )
A set S = {𝑢1 , 𝑢2 … … … . . 𝑢𝑛 } of vectors is a basis of v if every 𝑣 ∈ 𝑉 can be written
uniquely as a linear combination of the basis vectors. Vector spaces containing finite
number of elements is said to have a finite basis.
Suppose a vector space does not have a finite basis. Then v is said to be of infinite
dimensions and has a special name: Hilbert space.
Consider the following n vectors in 𝐾 𝑛 ,
𝑒1 = (1,0 … … . .0), 𝑒2 = (0,1, … … … 0), … … … … 𝑒𝑛 = (0,0 … … … .1)
These vectors are linearly independent. Further, any vector
𝑛
𝑣 = (𝑎1 , 𝑎2 , … … … … . . 𝑎𝑛 ) in 𝐾 can be written as a linear combination of the above
vectors.
𝑣⃗ = 𝑎1 𝑒1 + 𝑎2 𝑒2 + ⋯ … 𝑎𝑛 𝑒𝑛 8.1
Accordingly, the vectors form a basis of 𝐾 𝑛 called the usual or standard basis of 𝐾 𝑛
Example 2. Consider a vector space 𝑅 2 (𝑡) of polynomial of degree ≤ 2. The
polynomials 𝑟1 = 𝑡 + 1, 𝑟2 = 𝑡 − 1 and 𝑟3 = (𝑡 − 1)2 form a basic S of 𝑅 2 (𝑡). The
coordinate vector v of [V], v = 2𝑡 2 − 5𝑡 + 9 relative to S is obtained as follows-
2𝑡 2 − 5𝑡 + 9 = 𝑥(𝑡 + 1) + 𝑦(𝑡 − 1) + 𝑧(𝑡 − 1)2
Equating coefficients of equal powers of t,
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𝑧 = 2, 𝑥 + 𝑦 – 2𝑧 = −5, 𝑥 – 𝑦 + 𝑧 = 9
⇒ 𝑥 = 3, 𝑦 = −4, 𝑧 = 2.
𝑣 = 3𝑟1 − 4𝑟2 + 2𝑟3
Example 3.
Consider real space 𝑅 3 . The following vectors form a basis sof 𝑅 3 .
𝑢1 = (1, −1,0), 𝑢2 = (1,1,0) and 𝑢3 = (0,1,1). The coordinates of
𝑣 = (5, 3, 4) relative to the basis S is obtained as follows,
5 1 1 0
[3] = 𝑥 [−1] + 𝑦 [1] + 𝑧 [1]
4 0 0 1
Solving 𝑥 = 3, 𝑦 = 2 and 𝑧 = 4 then
𝑣 = 3𝑢1 + 2𝑢2 + 4𝑢3 .
Example 4.
Consider the vector space 𝑀 = 𝑀2×2 consisting of all 2 × 2 matrices and consider
the following four matrices in M.
10 01 00 00
𝐸11 = [ ] , 𝐸12 = [ ] , 𝐸21 = [ ] , 𝐸22 = [ ]
00 00 10 01
Any matrix A in M can be written as a linear combination of the 4 matrices.
5−6
𝐴=[ ] = 5𝐸11 − 6𝐸12 + 7𝐸21 + 8𝐸22
7 8
Accordingly the 4 matrices 𝐸11 , 𝐸12 , 𝐸21 , 𝐸22 span M.
Example 5.
Express 𝑣 = (2, −5, 3) in 𝑅 3 as a linear combination of the vectors
𝑢1 = (1, −3,2), 𝑢2 = (2, −4, −1) and 𝑢3 = (1, −5,7)
2 1 2 1
[−5] = 𝑥 [−3] + 𝑦 [−4] + 𝑧 [−5]
3 2 −1 7
It can be checked that the system is inconsistent and has no solution, so v can not be
written as a linear combination of 𝑢1 , 𝑢2 and 𝑢3 .
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