How Can You Determine if an Operator is Surjective, Injective, or Bijective?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around determining the properties of operators, specifically whether they are surjective, injective, or bijective. Participants explore definitions and implications related to injectivity and the conditions under which these properties can be assessed, particularly in the context of linear operators.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants reference the definition of injectivity, stating that if an operator is injective, then different inputs must yield different outputs.
  • Others argue that the property of well-definition applies to all functions, not just injective ones, and emphasize the importance of the condition that if two outputs are equal, the inputs must also be equal for injectivity.
  • A participant presents a series of logical equivalences related to injectivity in linear operators, suggesting that the kernel of the operator being zero is a necessary condition for injectivity.
  • Another participant provides an example using the operator \( \frac{d}{dx} \) and concludes that it is not injective due to the presence of polynomials in its kernel.
  • Disagreement arises regarding the negation of implications related to injectivity, with one participant challenging the correctness of the negation presented by another.
  • Participants discuss the logical structure of implications and their negations, referencing truth-functional logic to clarify their points.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the definitions of injectivity and the conditions that must be met for an operator to be considered injective. However, there is disagreement regarding the correct negation of implications related to these properties, and the discussion remains unresolved on this point.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes various logical implications and equivalences that may depend on specific definitions or contexts, which are not fully resolved. The application of these concepts to different types of operators and functions introduces additional complexity.

SeM
Hi, I found in Kreyszig that if for any ##x_1\ and\ x_2\ \in \mathscr{D}(T)##

then an injective operator gives:

##x_1 \ne x_2 \rightarrow Tx_1 \ne Tx_2 ##

and

##x_1 = x_2 \rightarrow Tx_1 = Tx_2 ##If one has an operator T, is there an inequality or equality one can deduce from this, in order to check if an operator is surjective/injective or bijective? (In a similar manner to check for boundedness.)

Thanks!
 
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SeM said:
Hi, I found in Kreyszig that if for any ##x_1\ and\ x_2\ \in \mathscr{D}(T)##

then an injective operator gives:

##x_1 \ne x_2 \rightarrow Tx_1 \ne Tx_2 ##
I wouldn't say gives here, because it is the definition of injectivity:
Different elements map to different points, no multiple hits.
and

##x_1 = x_2 \rightarrow Tx_1 = Tx_2 ##
This is called well-definition. It distinguishes between functions and relations. Every function has this property. It is not related to injectivity. However, if you turn around the arrow:
$$Tx_1=Tx_2 \Longrightarrow x_1=x_2$$
then it is the definition of an injective function ##T##.
If one has an operator T, is there an inequality or equality one can deduce from this, in order to check if an operator is surjective/injective or bijective? (In a similar manner to check for boundedness.)

Thanks!
As this has been already the definition, what other equality are you looking for?

In case of linear functions (operators), which might be given here as you posted in the linear algebra section, then we get:
$$(\;Tx_1=Tx_2 \Longrightarrow x_1=x_2\;) \Longleftrightarrow (\;T(x_1-x_2)=0 \Longrightarrow x_1-x_2=0 \;) \Longleftrightarrow (\;Tx=0 \Longrightarrow x=0\;) \Longleftrightarrow (\;\operatorname{ker}T=0\;)$$
which finally is a single equation.
 
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fresh_42 said:
I wouldn't say gives here, because it is the definition of injectivity:

In case of linear functions (operators), which might be given here as you posted in the linear algebra section, then we get:
$$(\;Tx_1=Tx_2 \Longrightarrow x_1=x_2\;) \Longleftrightarrow (\;T(x_1-x_2)=0 \Longrightarrow x_1-x_2=0 \;) \Longleftrightarrow (\;Tx=0 \Longrightarrow x=0\;) \Longleftrightarrow (\;\operatorname{ker}T=0\;)$$
which finally is a single equation.
So if an operator is say id/dx, and the element it acts on is the variable x, we have:

Tx_1 = id/dx x = i

the second variable is y,

Tx_2 = id/dx y = 0

$$(\;Tx \ne Ty \Longrightarrow x \ne y\;) \Longleftrightarrow (\;T(x-y) \ne 0 \Longrightarrow x-y\ne0 \;) \Longleftrightarrow (\;Tx\ne0 \Longrightarrow x\ne0\;) \Longleftrightarrow (\;\operatorname{ker}T\ne0\;)$$

so T is not injective.
 
SeM said:
So if an operator is say id/dx, and the element it acts on is the variable x, we have:

Tx_1 = id/dx x = i

the second variable is y,

Tx_2 = id/dx y = 0

$$(\;Tx \ne Ty \Longrightarrow x \ne y\;) \Longleftrightarrow (\;T(x-y) \ne 0 \Longrightarrow x-y\ne0 \;) \Longleftrightarrow (\;Tx\ne0 \Longrightarrow x\ne0\;) \Longleftrightarrow (\;\operatorname{ker}T\ne0\;)$$

so T is not injective.
##T## is not injective because all polynomials in ##y## are contained in its kernel: ##T(p(y))=0##.

However, your negation is wrong.
$$
T \text{ not injective } \Longleftrightarrow \neg \, (Tx_1=Tx_2 \Longrightarrow x_1 = x_2) \Longleftrightarrow (Tx_1=Tx_2 \nRightarrow x_1 = x_2) \Longleftrightarrow \exists \, x_1 \neq x_2 \, : \,Tx_1 =Tx_2
$$
You cannot simply negate the conditions. E.g. if you win in the lottery, you will never work again. The negation is: If you will work in the future, you might or might not have won in the lottery. It simply can't be concluded. What you wrote was: If you don't win in the lottery, you will definitely work again. But this is something different.
 
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If that implication means that, for all x, if x wins the lottery then x will not work again, then it seems from the previous example that the negation would be there is some x such that x both wins the lottery and then works again afterwards. Does that make sense?
 
The ## A \rightarrow B ## law in T.F Logic has a nice equivalent : " ~A or B " ( sorry , don't know how to Tex Logic signs) , which negates as "A and ~B " where ~ is negation. It is somewhat ( or maybe plenty) artificial , but it is helpful when negating implications. And the proof is also kind of unsatisfactory: just notice the truth-functional equivalence.
 
WWGD said:
The ## A \rightarrow B ## law in T.F Logic has a nice equivalent : " ~A or B " ( sorry , don't know how to Tex Logic signs) , which negates as "A and ~B " where ~ is negation. It is somewhat ( or maybe plenty) artificial , but it is helpful when negating implications. And the proof is also kind of unsatisfactory: just notice the truth-functional equivalence.
\sim or better \lnot
 
fresh_42 said:
\sim
\Thanks ;).
 

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