Closed under addition and closed under scalar

Click For Summary
Closed under addition and scalar multiplication refers to properties of a subset A within a vector space, specifically R^2 in this context. A is closed under addition if the sum of any two elements in A also belongs to A, while it is closed under scalar multiplication if multiplying any element by a scalar results in another element in A. The set A, defined by the condition x^2 + y^2 ≤ 1, represents a disk in the plane, and to determine if A is a subspace, it must meet the criteria of being closed under addition, closed under scalar multiplication, and containing the zero vector. The discussion clarifies that simply having the condition x^2 + y^2 ≤ 1 does not guarantee these properties, thus A is not a subspace of R^2. Understanding these concepts is crucial for grasping the structure of vector spaces and their subsets.
negation
Messages
817
Reaction score
0
Could someone explain to me about what closed under addition and closed under scalar multiplication means? I have a patchy idea of what it is but how does it relates to A = {(x,y) | x^2 + y^2 <= 1}?
What does A stands for? What does the language implies?

Edit: My interpretation: Let's suppose there exists a field k with R^n where n = 2) and A is a subset of the field k.
An element is closed under addition iff an element, uA, and, vA such that
u^2+v^2 = <=1.
If u^2+v^2 <=1, then, u and v is a subset of A.
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
negation said:
Could someone explain to me about what closed under addition and closed under scalar multiplication means? I have a patchy idea of what it is but how does it relates to A = {(x,y) | x^2 + y^2 <= 1}?
What does A stands for? What does the language implies?

In other words, you are considering ##R^2## as a vector space over the reals. Addition means ##(u,v)+(x,y) = (u+x,v+y)## and scalar multiplication means ##t(x,y) = (tx,ty)##, the usual vector operations in ##R^2##.

Edit: My interpretation: Let's suppose there exists a field k with R^n where n = 2) and A is a subset of the field k.
An element is closed under addition iff an element, uA, and, vA such that
u^2+v^2 = <=1.
If u^2+v^2 <=1, then, u and v is a subset of A.

You have a very confused interpretation. You don't talk about whether an element is closed under addition, you talk about whether the subset ##A## is closed under addition. That is, if ##(a,b)## and ##(c,d)## are in ##A##, is ##(a,b)+(c,d)## always in ##A##? If so, ##A## is closed under addition. Similarly, if ##(x,y)\in A## is ##t(x,y)\in A## or not.
 
LCKurtz said:
In other words, you are considering ##R^2## as a vector space over the reals. Addition means ##(u,v)+(x,y) = (u+x,v+y)## and scalar multiplication means ##t(x,y) = (tx,ty)##, the usual vector operations in ##R^2##.



You have a very confused interpretation. You don't talk about whether an element is closed under addition, you talk about whether the subset ##A## is closed under addition. That is, if ##(a,b)## and ##(c,d)## are in ##A##, is ##(a,b)+(c,d)## always in ##A##? If so, ##A## is closed under addition. Similarly, if ##(x,y)\in A## is ##t(x,y)\in A## or not.

How does x^2 + y^2 relates the the closed addition and scalar multiplication?
 
negation said:
How does ##x^2 + y^2\color{red}{\le 1}## relates the the closed addition and scalar multiplication?

That's how you tell if ##(x,y)\in A##. So if you add two elements in ##A## is the result in ##A##?
 
LCKurtz said:
That's how you tell if ##(x,y)\in A##. So if you add two elements in ##A## is the result in ##A##?


So x^2 + y^2 <=1 is a condition. If vector u and vector v both of which are elements of S where S is a set of vectors and if u+v <= 1 then it is closed under addition.
And if it fulfils 2 other necessary conditions- namely, closed under scalar multiplication and where 0 vector is an element of S then S is a subspace.
 
negation said:
So x^2 + y^2 <=1 is a condition.
Yes, this is the condition by which you can determine whether a vector <x, y> is a member of set A (the name of the set from post #1). S is not mentioned in post #1.
negation said:
If vector u and vector v both of which are elements of S where S is a set of vectors and if u+v <= 1 then it is closed under addition.
No, that isn't it. If u and v are members of A, and if u + v is also in A, then A is closed under vector addition.
The condition, as you call it, is how you can tell whether a given vector is in set A.
negation said:
And if it fulfils 2 other necessary conditions- namely, closed under scalar multiplication and where 0 vector is an element of S then S is a subspace.
Just to be clear, assuming that u is in A, and t is a scalar, if tu is also in A, then A is closed under scalar multiplication.
 
Mark44 said:
Yes, this is the condition by which you can determine whether a vector <x, y> is a member of set A (the name of the set from post #1). S is not mentioned in post #1.
No, that isn't it. If u and v are members of A, and if u + v is also in A, then A is closed under vector addition.
The condition, as you call it, is how you can tell whether a given vector is in set A.

Just to be clear, assuming that u is in A, and t is a scalar, if tu is also in A, then A is closed under scalar multiplication.

Is it the same thing to say A closed under addition, closed under scalar multiplication and has zero vector and A is the subspace of a vector space?
 
negation said:
Is it the same thing to say A closed under addition, closed under scalar multiplication and has zero vector and A is the subspace of a vector space?
Not quite. You need some ifs and a then.

For a set A, a subset of a vector space, if
1. A is closed under vector addition, and
2. A is closed under scalar multiplication, and
3. The zero vector is an element of A,

Then A is a subspace of the vector space. (Whatever vector space we're working with.)
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 18 ·
Replies
18
Views
6K
Replies
9
Views
2K
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
1K
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
2K
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Replies
2
Views
2K