- #1
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Not really a homework problem, just doing some self-studying.
Let ##| a \rangle## by any vector in an ##N##-dimensional vector space ##\mathcal{V}##, and ##\mathbf{A}## a linear operator on ##\mathcal{V}##. The vectors
$$
| a \rangle, \mathbf{A} | a \rangle, \mathbf{A}^2 | a \rangle, \ldots, \mathbf{A}^N | a \rangle
$$
are linearly dependent. Let ##\mathcal{M} \equiv \text{Span}\{ \mathbf{A}^k | a \rangle\}_{k=0}^N##. Show that ##\mathcal{M}## has the property that for any vector ##| x \rangle \in \mathcal{M}##, the vector ##\mathbf{A} | x \rangle## also belongs to ##\mathcal{M}##.
Since the above vectors span ##\mathcal{M} ##, I can always find ##\{c_k\}## such that I can write
$$
| x \rangle = \sum_{k=0}^N c_k \mathbf{A}^k | a \rangle
$$
Now, if ##c_N = 0##, and since ##\mathbf{A}## is a linear operator, I have
$$
\begin{array}{rl}
\mathbf{A} | x \rangle & = \mathbf{A} \sum_{k=0}^{N-1} c_k \mathbf{A}^k | a \rangle \\
& = \sum_{k=0}^{N-1} c_{k} \mathbf{A}^{k+1} | a \rangle
\end{array}
$$
which, by definition, is in ##\mathcal{M}##.
But what if ##c_N \neq 0##? I need to show that ##\mathbf{A}^{N+1} | a \rangle## is in ##\mathcal{M}##. I'm tempted to use the fact that the vectors are linearly dependent to state that I can write
$$
\mathbf{A}^{N} | a \rangle = \sum_{k=0}^{N-1} \alpha_k \mathbf{A}^k | a \rangle
$$
but nothing guarantees me that ##\mathbf{A}^{N} | a \rangle ## is not orthogonal to the other vectors, or does it?
Any help appreciated.
Homework Statement
Let ##| a \rangle## by any vector in an ##N##-dimensional vector space ##\mathcal{V}##, and ##\mathbf{A}## a linear operator on ##\mathcal{V}##. The vectors
$$
| a \rangle, \mathbf{A} | a \rangle, \mathbf{A}^2 | a \rangle, \ldots, \mathbf{A}^N | a \rangle
$$
are linearly dependent. Let ##\mathcal{M} \equiv \text{Span}\{ \mathbf{A}^k | a \rangle\}_{k=0}^N##. Show that ##\mathcal{M}## has the property that for any vector ##| x \rangle \in \mathcal{M}##, the vector ##\mathbf{A} | x \rangle## also belongs to ##\mathcal{M}##.
Homework Equations
The Attempt at a Solution
Since the above vectors span ##\mathcal{M} ##, I can always find ##\{c_k\}## such that I can write
$$
| x \rangle = \sum_{k=0}^N c_k \mathbf{A}^k | a \rangle
$$
Now, if ##c_N = 0##, and since ##\mathbf{A}## is a linear operator, I have
$$
\begin{array}{rl}
\mathbf{A} | x \rangle & = \mathbf{A} \sum_{k=0}^{N-1} c_k \mathbf{A}^k | a \rangle \\
& = \sum_{k=0}^{N-1} c_{k} \mathbf{A}^{k+1} | a \rangle
\end{array}
$$
which, by definition, is in ##\mathcal{M}##.
But what if ##c_N \neq 0##? I need to show that ##\mathbf{A}^{N+1} | a \rangle## is in ##\mathcal{M}##. I'm tempted to use the fact that the vectors are linearly dependent to state that I can write
$$
\mathbf{A}^{N} | a \rangle = \sum_{k=0}^{N-1} \alpha_k \mathbf{A}^k | a \rangle
$$
but nothing guarantees me that ##\mathbf{A}^{N} | a \rangle ## is not orthogonal to the other vectors, or does it?
Any help appreciated.