MHB Linear Algebra: Kernel & Range of Linear Transformation

matqkks
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Why are we interested in looking at the kernel and range (image) of a linear transformation on a linear algebra course?
 
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They can be useful. Suppose you have a linear map f: V \to W. If you want to know if this linear map is injective (i.e one-to-one map) then you can take a look at the kernel: $$\ker( f)=\{0\} \Leftrightarrow \ f \ \mbox{is injective}$$

There's also the following result.
$$V/\mbox{ker}( f) \cong \mbox{Im}( f)$$
which can be very useful because it's easier to work with the image in stead of the quotientspace $V/\mbox{ker}( f)$

These are offcourse a lot of other results but these two are the first I could remember immediately.
 
##\textbf{Exercise 10}:## I came across the following solution online: Questions: 1. When the author states in "that ring (not sure if he is referring to ##R## or ##R/\mathfrak{p}##, but I am guessing the later) ##x_n x_{n+1}=0## for all odd $n$ and ##x_{n+1}## is invertible, so that ##x_n=0##" 2. How does ##x_nx_{n+1}=0## implies that ##x_{n+1}## is invertible and ##x_n=0##. I mean if the quotient ring ##R/\mathfrak{p}## is an integral domain, and ##x_{n+1}## is invertible then...
The following are taken from the two sources, 1) from this online page and the book An Introduction to Module Theory by: Ibrahim Assem, Flavio U. Coelho. In the Abelian Categories chapter in the module theory text on page 157, right after presenting IV.2.21 Definition, the authors states "Image and coimage may or may not exist, but if they do, then they are unique up to isomorphism (because so are kernels and cokernels). Also in the reference url page above, the authors present two...
When decomposing a representation ##\rho## of a finite group ##G## into irreducible representations, we can find the number of times the representation contains a particular irrep ##\rho_0## through the character inner product $$ \langle \chi, \chi_0\rangle = \frac{1}{|G|} \sum_{g\in G} \chi(g) \chi_0(g)^*$$ where ##\chi## and ##\chi_0## are the characters of ##\rho## and ##\rho_0##, respectively. Since all group elements in the same conjugacy class have the same characters, this may be...
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