4 Vector Spaces

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4.5 Basis and Dimension

Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Objectives
▪ Recognize bases in the vector spaces , Pn, and
Mm,n.

▪ Find the dimension of a vector space.

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Basis for a Vector Space

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Basis for a Vector Space (1 of 4)
Definition of Basis
A set of vectors S = {v1, v2 , ... , v n} in a vector space V is
a basis for V when the conditions below are true.

1. S spans V. 2. S is linearly independent.

Moreover, if a vector space V has a basis with a finite

number of vectors, then V is finite dimensional. Otherwise,
V is infinite dimensional. The vector space V = {0},
consisting of the zero vector alone, is finite dimensional.

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Example 1 – The Standard Basis for R^3

Show that the set below is a basis for

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

Solution:
In earlier example we showed that S spans Furthermore,
S is linearly independent because the vector equation

c1(1, 0, 0) + c2(0, 1, 0) + c3(0, 0, 1) = (0, 0, 0)

has only the trivial solution

c1 = c2 = c3= 0. (Verify this.)

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Example 1 – Solution
So, S is a basis for (See Figure 4.16.)

Figure 4.16

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Basis for a Vector Space (2 of 4)
Theorem 4.9 Uniqueness of Basis Representation
If S = {v1 , v2 , ... , vn} is a basis for a vector space V, then
every vector in V can be written in one and only one way
as a linear combination of vectors in S.

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Example 6 – Uniqueness of Basis Representation

Let u = {u1, u2, u3} be any vector in

Show that the equation u = c1 v1 + c2 v2 + c3 v3 has a

unique solution for the basis S = {v1 , v2 , v3 } = {(1, 2, 3),
(0, 1, 2), (−2, 0, 1)}.

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Example 6 – Solution (1 of 2)
From the equation
(u1, u2, u3) = c1(1, 2, 3) + c2(0, 1, 2) + c3(−2, 0, 1)
= (c1 − 2c3, 2c1 + c2, 3c1 + 2c2 + c3)

you obtain the system of linear equations below.

c1 − 2c3 = u1
2c1 + c2 = u2
3c1 + 2c2 + c3 = u3

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Example 6 – Solution (2 of 2)
The matrix A is invertible, so you know this system has a
unique solution,

Verify by finding that

c1 = −u1 + 4u2 − 2u3
c2 = 2u1 − 7u2 + 4u3
c3 = −u1 + 2u2 − u3.

For example, u = (1, 0, 0) can be represented uniquely as

−v1+ 2v2 − v3.

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Basis for a Vector Space (3 of 4)
Theorem 4.10 Bases and Linear Dependence
If S = {v1, v2, ... , v n} is a basis for a vector space V, then
every set containing more than n vectors in V is linearly
dependent.

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Example 7 – linearly Dependent sets in R^3 and P3

a. has a basis consisting of three vectors, so the set

P S = {(1, 2, −1), (1, 1, 0), (2, 3, 0), (5, 9, −1)}
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must be linearly dependent.

b. P3 has a basis consisting of four vectors, so the set

must be linearly dependent.

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Basis for a Vector Space (4 of 4)
Theorem 4.11 Number of Vectors in a Basis
If a vector space V has one basis with n vectors, then
every basis for V has n vectors.

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Example 8 – Spanning Sets and Bases
Use Theorem 4.11 to explain why each statement is true.

a. The set S1 = {(3, 2, 1), (7, −1, 4)} is not a basis for

b. The set is not a

basis for P3.

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Example 8 – Solution
a. The standard basis for ,S = {(1, 0, 0), (0, 1, 0), (0,0,1)},
has three vectors, and S1 has only two vectors. By
Theorem 4.11, S1 cannot be a basis for

b. The standard basis for P3, has four

vectors. By Theorem 4.11, the set S2 has too many
vectors to be a basis for P3.

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The Dimension of a Vector Space

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The Dimension of a Vector Space (1 of 2)

Definition of the Dimension of a Vector Space

If a vector space V has a basis consisting of n vectors,
then the number n is the dimension of V, denoted by
dim(V) = n. When V consists of the zero vector alone, the
dimension of V is defined as zero.

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Example 9 – Finding Dimensions of Subspaces

Find the dimension of each subspace of

a. W = {(d, c − d, c): c and d are real numbers}

b. W = {(2b, b, 0): b is a real number}

Solution:
a. By writing the representative vector (d, c − d, c) as
(d, c − d, c) = (0, c, c) + (d, −d, 0) = c(0, 1, 1) + d(1, −1, 0)
you can see that W is spanned by the set
S = {(0, 1, 1), (1, −1, 0)}.

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Example 9 – Solution
You can show that this set is linearly independent. So, S
is a basis for W, and W is a two-dimensional subspace
of

b. By writing the representative vector (2b, b, 0) as b(2, 1, 0),

you can see that W is spanned by the set S = {(2, 1, 0)}.
So, W is a one-dimensional subspace of

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The Dimension of a Vector Space (2 of 2)
Theorem 4.12 Basis Tests in an n-Dimensional Space
Let V be a vector space of dimension n.
1. If S = {v1, v2, ...,v n} is a linearly independent set of
vectors in V, then S is a basis for V.

2. If S = {v1, v2, ...,v n} spans V, then S is a basis for V.

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Example 12 – Testing for a Basis in an n-Dimensional Space

Show that the set of vectors is a basis for M5,1.

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Example 12 – Solution (1 of 2)
S has five vectors and the dimension of M5,1 is 5, S is a
basis by showing either that S is linearly independent
or that S spans M5,1 .

To show that S is linearly independent, form the vector

equation c1 v1 + c2 v2 + c3 v3 + c4 v4 + c5 v5 = 0, which
yields the linear system below.
c1 =0
2c1 + c2 =0
−c1 + 3c2 + 2c3 =0
3c1 − 2c2 − c3 + 2c4 =0
4c1 + 3c2 + 5c3 − 3c4 − 2c5 = 0
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Example 12 – Solution (2 of 2)
This system has only the trivial solution, so S is linearly
independent.

By Theorem 4.12, S is a basis for M5,1.

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