Difference between revisions of "Vector space"

(Axioms of a vector space)
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* Scalar multiplication is [[distributive property | distributive]] over both vector and scalar addition, so if <math>r \in F</math> and <math>{\mathbf v, w} \in V</math> then <math>r({\mathbf v + w}) = r{\mathbf v} + r{\mathbf w}</math>.
 
* Scalar multiplication is [[distributive property | distributive]] over both vector and scalar addition, so if <math>r \in F</math> and <math>{\mathbf v, w} \in V</math> then <math>r({\mathbf v + w}) = r{\mathbf v} + r{\mathbf w}</math>.
  
* if <math>x \in V</math>, <math>1.x=x</math>
+
* if <math>x \in V</math>, <math>1.(\mathbf x)=(\mathbf x)</math>
 
 
  
 
===Examples of vector spaces===
 
===Examples of vector spaces===

Revision as of 13:04, 4 November 2006

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A vector space over a field (frequently the real numbers) is an object which arises in linear algebra and abstract algebra. A vector space $V$ over a field $F$ consists of a set (of vectors) and two operations, vector addition and scalar multiplication, which obey the following rules:

Axioms of a vector space

  • Scalar multiplication is associative, so if $r, s \in F$ and ${\mathbf v} \in V$ then $(rs){\mathbf v} = r(s{\mathbf v})$.
  • Scalar multiplication is distributive over both vector and scalar addition, so if $r \in F$ and ${\mathbf v, w} \in V$ then $r({\mathbf v + w}) = r{\mathbf v} + r{\mathbf w}$.
  • if $x \in V$, $1.(\mathbf x)=(\mathbf x)$

Examples of vector spaces