- #1
PhillipKP
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Homework Statement
Hi I need help understanding a proof. This is my first time in a pure math class, so proofs of this type are a little weird to me.
If U is a subspace of the vectorspace V, what is U+U?
Homework Equations
The proof:
[tex](v_{1}+v_{2})\in U+U[/tex]
As [tex]v_{1},v_{2}\in U[/tex]and [tex]U[/tex] is a subspace of [tex]V[/tex],
[tex](v_{1}+v_{2})\in U[/tex]
Thus [tex]U+U\subseteq U[/tex]
Now let
[tex]v\in U[/tex].
Then as [tex]0\in U[/tex],
[tex]v=(v+0)\in U+U.[/tex]
Thus [tex]U\subseteq U+U[/tex]
[tex]\therefore U=U+U[/tex]
The Attempt at a Solution
I don't understand why the first part proves [tex]U+U\subseteq U[/tex] rather than [tex]U\subseteq U+U[/tex].
Similarly, I don't understand why the second part proves [tex]U\subseteq U+U[/tex] rather than proving [tex]U+U\subseteq U[/tex].
I guess I just don't understand why each part proves 1 direction of the equality by not the other direction.
Thanks for any help you can provide.