How To Find The Basis Of A Subspace?

In mathematics, a subspace is a subset of a vector space that is itself a vector space. In other words, a subspace is a set of vectors that is closed under addition and scalar multiplication. The basis of a subspace is a set of vectors that spans the subspace and is linearly independent. In this article, we will discuss how to find the basis of a subspace. We will start by defining what it means for a set of vectors to be linearly independent and spanning. Then, we will give two different methods for finding the basis of a subspace: the row reduction method and the Gram-Schmidt process.

| Step | Description | Example |
|—|—|—|
| 1. Find a linearly independent set of vectors in the subspace. | A linearly independent set of vectors is a set of vectors that are not all multiples of each other. |

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| 2. Extend the linearly independent set to a basis of the subspace. | A basis of a subspace is a set of vectors that spans the subspace and is linearly independent. |

|
| 3. Check that the set of vectors you have found is a basis of the subspace. | To check that a set of vectors is a basis of the subspace, you can verify that the set spans the subspace and is linearly independent. |

|

What is a basis of a subspace?

A basis of a subspace is a set of vectors that spans the subspace and is linearly independent. In other words, every vector in the subspace can be written as a linear combination of the basis vectors, and no two basis vectors are linearly dependent.

For example, the set of vectors $\{(1, 0), (0, 1)\}$ is a basis for the subspace of $\mathbb{R}^2$ consisting of all vectors of the form $(x, y)$ where $x$ and $y$ are real numbers. This is because every vector in this subspace can be written as a linear combination of the basis vectors, for example, the vector $(3, 4)$ can be written as $(3, 4) = 3(1, 0) + 4(0, 1)$. Additionally, the basis vectors are linearly independent, since no vector in the set can be written as a linear combination of the other vectors.

The dimension of a subspace is the number of vectors in a basis for the subspace. In the example above, the dimension of the subspace is 2, since the basis consists of two vectors.

How to find the basis of a subspace?

There are a few different ways to find the basis of a subspace. One way is to use the Gram-Schmidt process. This process starts with a set of linearly independent vectors in the subspace and then iteratively constructs a new set of vectors that is both linearly independent and spans the subspace. The new set of vectors is the basis for the subspace.

Another way to find the basis of a subspace is to use the row echelon form of the matrix that represents the subspace. The row echelon form of a matrix is a matrix that has been transformed into a reduced row echelon form, which is a special type of matrix that has the following properties:

  • All of the leading entries (the entries in the first column that are not zero) are 1.
  • All of the entries below the leading entries are 0.
  • The leading entries are in the first column as far to the right as possible.

The basis for a subspace can be found by looking at the columns of the row echelon form of the matrix that represents the subspace. The columns that contain leading entries are the basis vectors for the subspace.

For example, consider the matrix

[1 2 3]
[4 5 6]
[7 8 9]

This matrix represents the subspace of $\mathbb{R}^3$ consisting of all vectors of the form $(x, y, z)$ where $x + 2y + 3z = 0$. The row echelon form of this matrix is

[1 0 0]
[0 1 0]
[0 0 1]

The columns that contain leading entries are the first, second, and third columns, so the basis for the subspace is the set of vectors $\{(1, 0, 0), (0, 1, 0), (0, 0, 1)\}$.

In this article, we have discussed the concept of a basis of a subspace and how to find the basis of a subspace. We have also seen how to use the Gram-Schmidt process and the row echelon form of a matrix to find the basis of a subspace.

How To Find The Basis Of A Subspace?

In linear algebra, a basis of a subspace is a set of linearly independent vectors that spans the subspace. In other words, a basis is a set of vectors that can be used to represent any vector in the subspace as a linear combination of the basis vectors.

Finding the basis of a subspace is a fundamental problem in linear algebra, with applications in many areas of mathematics and science. In this tutorial, we will discuss how to find the basis of a subspace using two different methods: the row echelon form method and the Gram-Schmidt process.

The Row Echelon Form Method

The row echelon form method is a simple and efficient way to find the basis of a subspace. The method works by transforming the matrix representing the subspace into row echelon form. A matrix is in row echelon form if it satisfies the following conditions:

1. The leading coefficient of each row is 1.
2. The leading coefficient of each row is to the right of the leading coefficient of the row above it.
3. All entries below the leading coefficient of a row are zero.

Once the matrix is in row echelon form, the basis of the subspace is given by the columns of the matrix that contain leading coefficients.

To illustrate the row echelon form method, let’s consider the following matrix:

[1 2 3]
[4 5 6]
[7 8 9]

This matrix represents the subspace of $\mathbb{R}^3$ spanned by the vectors $\vec{v}_1 = (1, 2, 3)$, $\vec{v}_2 = (4, 5, 6)$, and $\vec{v}_3 = (7, 8, 9)$.

To find the basis of this subspace, we first transform the matrix into row echelon form. We can do this by performing the following row operations:

1. Subtract 2 times row 1 from row 2.
2. Subtract 3 times row 1 from row 3.

This gives us the following matrix:

[1 2 3]
[0 1 2]
[0 0 1]

The basis of the subspace is now given by the columns of the matrix that contain leading coefficients. In this case, the basis is given by the vectors $\vec{v}_1 = (1, 2, 3)$ and $\vec{v}_2 = (0, 1, 2)$.

The Gram-Schmidt Process

The Gram-Schmidt process is a more general method for finding the basis of a subspace. The method works by iteratively constructing a set of orthonormal vectors that spans the subspace. A vector is orthonormal if it is both normalized (has unit length) and orthogonal (perpendicular) to all of the other vectors in the set.

To illustrate the Gram-Schmidt process, let’s consider the following subspace of $\mathbb{R}^3$:

S = span\{(1, 0, 0), (0, 1, 0), (0, 0, 1)\}

The first step in the Gram-Schmidt process is to construct a vector that is orthogonal to the first vector in the subspace. We can do this by taking the first vector and projecting it onto the orthogonal complement of the subspace. The orthogonal complement of a subspace is the set of all vectors that are orthogonal to the subspace.

In this case, the orthogonal complement of the subspace is given by the set of all vectors of the form $(a, b, c)$ where $a = 0$, $b = 0$, and $c = 0$. So, the first vector that we construct is given by:

\vec{v}_1 = (1, 0, 0) – \frac{1}{3}(0, 0, 0) = (1, 0, 0)

The next step is to construct a vector that is orthogonal to the first two vectors in the subspace. We can do this by taking the second vector and projecting it onto the orthogonal complement of the subspace spanned by $\vec{v}_1$. The orthogonal complement of the subspace spanned by $\vec{v}_1$ is given by the set of all vectors of the form $(a, b, c)$ where $a = 0$ and $b = 0$. So, the second vector that we construct is given by:

\vec{v}

How do I find the basis of a subspace?

A basis of a subspace is a set of vectors that spans the subspace and is linearly independent. To find the basis of a subspace, you can use the following steps:

1. Find a set of vectors that spans the subspace. This can be done by using a variety of methods, such as row reduction, Gaussian elimination, or the rank-nullity theorem.
2. Check if the set of vectors is linearly independent. To do this, you can use the following test:

a. If the number of vectors in the set is less than or equal to the dimension of the subspace, then the set is linearly independent.
b. If the number of vectors in the set is greater than the dimension of the subspace, then the set is linearly dependent.

3. If the set of vectors is linearly independent, then it is a basis of the subspace.

Here is an example of how to find the basis of a subspace. Let $V$ be the subspace of $\mathbb{R}^3$ that is spanned by the vectors $\vec{v}_1 = (1, 2, 3)$ and $\vec{v}_2 = (4, 5, 6)$.

1. Find a set of vectors that spans the subspace. We can use row reduction to find a set of vectors that spans the subspace. We start by writing the vectors as columns of a matrix:

$$
\begin{bmatrix}
1 & 2 & 3 \\
4 & 5 & 6
\end{bmatrix}
$$

We then row reduce the matrix to get:

$$
\begin{bmatrix}
1 & 0 & 0 \\
0 & 1 & 0
\end{bmatrix}
$$

This tells us that the vectors $\vec{v}_1$ and $\vec{v}_2$ span the subspace.

2. Check if the set of vectors is linearly independent. We can check if the set of vectors is linearly independent by using the following test:

a. If the number of vectors in the set is less than or equal to the dimension of the subspace, then the set is linearly independent.
b. If the number of vectors in the set is greater than the dimension of the subspace, then the set is linearly dependent.

In this case, the number of vectors in the set is 2, which is less than or equal to the dimension of the subspace (which is 3). Therefore, the set of vectors is linearly independent.

3. Since the set of vectors is linearly independent, it is a basis of the subspace. Therefore, the basis of the subspace is $\{\vec{v}_1, \vec{v}_2\}$.

we have discussed how to find the basis of a subspace. We first introduced the concept of a subspace and then showed how to find its basis using the following methods:

  • The row-reduction method
  • The dimension theorem
  • The orthogonal projection method

We also discussed the importance of the basis of a subspace and how it can be used to represent vectors in the subspace. Finally, we provided some key takeaways for the reader to remember.

  • The basis of a subspace is a set of linearly independent vectors that spans the subspace.
  • The number of vectors in the basis of a subspace is equal to the dimension of the subspace.
  • The basis of a subspace can be used to represent any vector in the subspace.
  • The basis of a subspace is unique up to scalar multiples.

Author Profile

Carla Denker
Carla Denker
Carla Denker first opened Plastica Store in June of 1996 in Silverlake, Los Angeles and closed in West Hollywood on December 1, 2017. PLASTICA was a boutique filled with unique items from around the world as well as products by local designers, all hand picked by Carla. Although some of the merchandise was literally plastic, we featured items made out of any number of different materials.

Prior to the engaging profile in west3rdstreet.com, the innovative trajectory of Carla Denker and PlasticaStore.com had already captured the attention of prominent publications, each one spotlighting the unique allure and creative vision of the boutique. The acclaim goes back to features in Daily Candy in 2013, TimeOut Los Angeles in 2012, and stretched globally with Allure Korea in 2011. Esteemed columns in LA Times in 2010 and thoughtful pieces in Sunset Magazine in 2009 highlighted the boutique’s distinctive character, while Domino Magazine in 2008 celebrated its design-forward ethos. This press recognition dates back to the earliest days of Plastica, with citations going back as far as 1997, each telling a part of the Plastica story.

After an illustrious run, Plastica transitioned from the tangible to the intangible. While our physical presence concluded in December 2017, our essence endures. Plastica Store has been reborn as a digital haven, continuing to serve a community of discerning thinkers and seekers. Our new mission transcends physical boundaries to embrace a world that is increasingly seeking knowledge and depth.

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