Linear Algebra - Show that T is Linear

In summary: I also used the term "row vector" in the sense of something that could be cross-producted with a column vector, not in the sense of something you could take the dot product of a row vector with.
  • #1
1LastTry
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Homework Statement



Let y [itex]\in[/itex]ℝ[itex]^{3}[/itex] be a fixed vector, and define T:ℝ[itex]^{3}[/itex]→ℝ[itex]^{3}[/itex] to be Tx = X [itex]\times[/itex] Y, the cross product of x and y.
Show that T is linear.

Homework Equations


The Attempt at a Solution


For this question do we have to define another T with the cross product of two other variables to prove this?

For example:

Tx = x [itex]\times[/itex] y
Ta = a [itex]\times[/itex] b

and we can prove linearity by T(cx+da) = cTx + dTa ?

Solution in this problem is welcome, since this assignment is already overdue.

Thanks

Homework Statement


Homework Equations


The Attempt at a Solution

 
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  • #2
1LastTry said:

Homework Statement



Let y [itex]\in[/itex]ℝ[itex]^{3}[/itex] be a fixed vector, and define T:ℝ[itex]^{3}[/itex]→ℝ[itex]^{3}[/itex] to be Tx = X [itex]\times[/itex] Y, the cross product of x and y.
Show that T is linear.

Homework Equations


The Attempt at a Solution


For this question do we have to define another T with the cross product of two other variables to prove this?

For example:

Tx = x [itex]\times[/itex] y
Ta = a [itex]\times[/itex] b
No, Ta = a X y
1LastTry said:
and we can prove linearity by T(cx+da) = cTx + dTa ?
Yes.
1LastTry said:
Solution in this problem is welcome, since this assignment is already overdue.
On-time or overdue, PF policy is that we don't do the work for you. We'll help you with it, though.
 
  • #3
would T(cx+da) be something like:

cx1 + da1.

cx2 + da2. x(cross product) [y1,y2,y3]?

cx3 + da3.
 
  • #4
Assuming that you have a column vector on the left and a row vector on the right, that is exactly what it would look like.

You can save yourself a bit of notational pain by doing this in two steps: T is linear if T(x+a) = T(x) + T(a) for all vectors x and a, and T(cx) = cT(x) for all vectors x and scalars c. This way you don't have to worry about keeping track of c's and d's when doing the hard part (showing additive linearity)
 
  • #5
Thanks for your helps.
 
  • #6
Office_Shredder said:
Assuming that you have a column vector on the left and a row vector on the right, that is exactly what it would look like.
Office_Shredder, I think you have a misconception here. This transformation performs the cross product (not matrix product) of its argument and some fixed vector in R3. For the ordinary cross product, all you need are two vectors in R3.
Office_Shredder said:
You can save yourself a bit of notational pain by doing this in two steps: T is linear if T(x+a) = T(x) + T(a) for all vectors x and a, and T(cx) = cT(x) for all vectors x and scalars c. This way you don't have to worry about keeping track of c's and d's when doing the hard part (showing additive linearity)
 
  • #7
OK I agree there was no reason to write it in that particular format, I simply meant that it wasn't 100% clear to me if he was trying to write two vectors being cross-producted with each other.
 

FAQ: Linear Algebra - Show that T is Linear

1. What is linear algebra?

Linear algebra is a branch of mathematics that deals with the study of linear equations and their representations in vector spaces. It involves the use of matrices, vectors, and other mathematical structures to solve systems of linear equations and to study linear transformations.

2. What does it mean for a transformation to be linear?

A linear transformation is a function that maps vectors from one vector space to another in a way that preserves certain properties, such as linearity and proportionality. This means that the transformation must satisfy the properties of additivity and homogeneity, which can be expressed mathematically as T(x + y) = T(x) + T(y) and T(kx) = kT(x), where T is the transformation, x and y are vectors, and k is a scalar.

3. How can you show that a transformation is linear?

To show that a transformation, T, is linear, you must prove that it satisfies the properties of additivity and homogeneity. This can be done by plugging in values for x and y and showing that the resulting transformation of the sum and scalar multiple of x and y is equal to the sum and scalar multiple of the transformed x and y, respectively. In other words, T(x + y) = T(x) + T(y) and T(kx) = kT(x) must hold true for all possible values of x, y, and k.

4. Why is it important to prove that a transformation is linear?

Proving that a transformation is linear is important because it allows us to use the properties of linearity to analyze and solve systems of linear equations. Linear transformations have many useful applications in fields such as physics, engineering, computer science, and economics.

5. Can you give an example of a linear transformation?

One example of a linear transformation is the transformation that rotates a vector in the xy-plane counterclockwise by a given angle. This transformation satisfies the properties of additivity and homogeneity, as the sum and scalar multiple of two rotated vectors will still result in a rotated vector by the same angle.

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