- #1
member 587159
Homework Statement
I want to proof, using the axioms of a vector space, that:
##(\alpha - \beta)\overrightarrow a = \alpha \overrightarrow a - \beta \overrightarrow a##
Homework Equations
Definition vector space:
The Attempt at a Solution
##(\alpha - \beta)\overrightarrow a = (\alpha + (-\beta))\overrightarrow a = \alpha \overrightarrow a + (-\beta) \overrightarrow a##
I'm stuck here, I want to show that:
##(-\beta) \overrightarrow a = -(\beta \overrightarrow a)##
I showed that both have the same symmetric element. But I did not show that symmetric elements are unique. Is there an easier way as this is an exercise and I think I'm overseeing something.
EDIT: I cannot use ##(-1)\overrightarrow a = - \overrightarrow a##
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