Closed under addition and closed under scalar

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the concepts of closure under addition and scalar multiplication in the context of vector spaces, specifically relating to the set A = {(x,y) | x^2 + y^2 <= 1}. Participants are exploring the definitions and implications of these concepts within the framework of linear algebra.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are attempting to clarify the meaning of being closed under addition and scalar multiplication, particularly how these properties apply to the set A. There are questions about the implications of the condition x^2 + y^2 <= 1 and how it relates to the closure properties of A.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants questioning each other's interpretations and clarifying the definitions of closure properties. Some guidance has been offered regarding the conditions necessary for A to be considered a subspace of a vector space, though there is no explicit consensus on the interpretations yet.

Contextual Notes

Participants are navigating through definitions and interpretations, with some confusion regarding the terminology and conditions for closure. The original poster's understanding appears to be evolving, and there are references to the need for specific conditions to classify A as a subspace.

negation
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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.
 
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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.)
 

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