Chapter 6: Problem 49
Find a basis for \(\operatorname{span}(1,1+x, 2 x)\) in \(\mathscr{P}_{1}\).
Short Answer
Expert verified
A basis is \(\{1, 1+x\}\).
Step by step solution
01
Understand the Problem
We need to find a basis for the span of the set \(\{1, 1+x, 2x\}\) within \(\mathscr{P}_{1}\), which is the space of polynomials with degree at most 1.
02
Identify the Elements in \(\mathscr{P}_{1}\)
Within \(\mathscr{P}_{1}\), any polynomial can be expressed in the form \(a_0 + a_1x\), which shows that the basis for \(\mathscr{P}_{1}\) is typically \(\{1, x\}\).
03
Write the Elements as Linear Combinations
Express the elements \(1\), \(1+x\), and \(2x\) as linear combinations of \(\{1, x\}\). This results in \(1 = 1\cdot 1 + 0\cdot x\), \(1+x = 1\cdot 1 + 1\cdot x\), and \(2x = 0\cdot 1 + 2\cdot x\).
04
Form the Matrix from Coefficients
Create a matrix using the coefficients from the linear combinations:\[\begin{bmatrix}1 & 1 & 0 \0 & 1 & 2\end{bmatrix}\]
05
Perform Row Reduction
Apply the row reduction process on the matrix to find the linearly independent columns:\[\begin{bmatrix}1 & 1 & 0 \0 & 1 & 2\end{bmatrix} \rightarrow \begin{bmatrix}1 & 0 & -2 \0 & 1 & 2\end{bmatrix}\]
06
Identify the Basis
The matrix in row-reduced form shows two pivot columns: the first and second. The vectors corresponding to these columns, \(1\) and \(1+x\), are linearly independent. Thus, \(\{1, 1+x\}\) is a basis for \(\operatorname{span}(1,1+x, 2x)\) in \(\mathscr{P}_{1}\).
Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!
-
Full Textbook Solutions
Get detailed explanations and key concepts
-
Unlimited Al creation
Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...
-
Ads-free access
To over 500 millions flashcards
-
Money-back guarantee
We refund you if you fail your exam.
Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91Ó°ÊÓ!
Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Basis of a Vector Space
A basis of a vector space is a set of vectors that are both linearly independent and span the vector space. Think of it as the foundation of a house: every vector in the space can be built from this foundation using scalar multipliers.
Let's break it down:
Let's break it down:
- **Spanning** means that any vector in the space can be formed as a linear combination of the basis vectors.
- **Linear independence** ensures that no vector in the basis can be written as a combination of the others.
Polynomial Vector Space
The polynomial vector space, particularly denoted as \(\mathscr{P}_{n}\), comprises all polynomials of degree at most \(n\). For example, \(\mathscr{P}_{1}\) includes every polynomial that looks like \(a_0 + a_1x\), with \(a_0\) and \(a_1\) being real numbers.
Here's an easy way to think about it:
Here's an easy way to think about it:
- Imagine a space where each point is a polynomial from 0 to degree 1.
- The basis for \(\mathscr{P}_{1}\) is typically \(\{1, x\}\), because any polynomial like \(2 + 3x\) or \(-5 + 7x\) can be formed as a combination of these.
Row Reduction
Row reduction is a process used in linear algebra to simplify matrices. It involves using elementary row operations to transform the matrix to row-echelon form, making it easier to identify pivot positions, which signal linearly independent vectors.
Here's how row reduction works:
Here's how row reduction works:
- Start by making the leading coefficient of the first row equal to 1 by scaling.
- Eliminate all coefficients below this leading 1 to create a column with zero entries except the pivot.
- Move to the next row and repeat until you have a staircase of leading ones.
Linear Combination
A linear combination involves combining several vectors by multiplying each vector by a scalar (a constant) and then adding the results. It's a way to construct new vectors from existing ones.
In the exercise, finding a linear combination of \(\{1, 1+x, 2x\}\) determines which vectors can be expressed using others.
In the exercise, finding a linear combination of \(\{1, 1+x, 2x\}\) determines which vectors can be expressed using others.
- For example, to find if \(2x\) can be expressed as some combination of \(1\) and \(1+x\), you multiply each by some constant and sum them up.
- If this combination equals \(2x\), then \(2x\) isn't necessary for our basis.