Answer: Image Direct Sum & Linear Operator: Is Union Equal?

In summary, the conversation is discussing whether the image of the direct sum of two subspaces and a linear operator is equal to the union of the images under the operator. A counterexample is provided to show that this is not always the case, but it can be made true by specifying that the subspaces are in a vector space and the images are summed rather than unioned.
  • #1
Fermat1
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Given 2 subspaces and a linear operator, is the image of the direct sum of the subspaces equal to the union of the images under the operator?

Thanks
 
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  • #2
Fermat said:
Given 2 subspaces and a linear operator, is the image of the direct sum of the subspaces equal to the union of the images under the operator?

Thanks
This is not true.

For a counterexample:
Let $V=\mathbb R^2$ and $X=\{(x,0):x\in\mathbb R\}$ and $Y=\{(0,y):y\in\mathbb R\}$.

Then $X$ and $Y$ are subspaces of $V$.

Let $I$ be the identity operator on $V$.

You can see that $I(X\oplus Y)\neq I(X)\cup I(Y)$.To make your statement true you can have:
Given 2 subspaces of a vector space $V$ and a linear operator on $V$, the image of the direct sum of the subspaces is equal to the sum of the images under the operator.
 

1. What is the concept of direct sum in linear algebra?

The direct sum of two vector spaces is a new vector space that combines the elements of both original spaces. In direct sum, the elements from each space are added together, and the resulting vector space contains all possible combinations of these elements.

2. How is the direct sum different from the union of two vector spaces?

The union of two vector spaces includes all the elements from both spaces, without any regard for their structure or operations. On the other hand, the direct sum combines the elements in a specific way that preserves the structure and operations of the original spaces.

3. Can the direct sum of two vector spaces be equal to their union?

No, the direct sum and the union are fundamentally different concepts and cannot be equal. The direct sum is a new vector space, while the union is simply a collection of elements from both original spaces.

4. What is the role of a linear operator in the concept of direct sum?

A linear operator is a function that maps elements from one vector space to another. In the direct sum, a linear operator is used to combine the elements from each space and create the new vector space.

5. How is the direct sum used in practical applications?

The direct sum is used in various applications, including computer graphics, signal processing, and data compression. It is also a fundamental concept in abstract algebra and can be used to solve problems in linear algebra, geometry, and physics.

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