Subset that satisfies all but one axioms of subspaces

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around identifying subsets of $\mathbb{R}^2$ that satisfy all but one of the axioms of subspaces in linear algebra. Participants explore examples of subsets that fail to meet specific axioms, including the presence of the zero vector, closure under addition, and closure under scalar multiplication. The conversation includes theoretical considerations and examples, as well as some confusion regarding the axioms themselves.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose subsets such as $\left \{\begin{pmatrix}x \\ y\end{pmatrix} : x,y>0\right \}$ to illustrate a failure to include the zero vector.
  • Others suggest $\{\begin{pmatrix}x \\ y\end{pmatrix}| y= 1\}$ as a subset that does not satisfy closure under addition.
  • A subset like $\left \{\begin{pmatrix}x \\ y\end{pmatrix} : x\geq 0\right \}$ is discussed as failing to satisfy closure under scalar multiplication.
  • Participants discuss the implications of subsets that satisfy the second and third properties but not the first, concluding that the empty set is a valid example.
  • There is confusion regarding the numbering and definition of the axioms, with participants clarifying that properties like associativity and commutativity are inherited and do not need to be explicitly satisfied.
  • Some participants question whether all axioms can be satisfied except one, leading to discussions about specific examples and minimal sets that meet certain properties.
  • There is a proposal for a minimal set that includes necessary vectors to satisfy certain properties while breaking others.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the definitions of the axioms but express differing views on specific examples and the implications of certain subsets. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the exact nature of subsets that can satisfy all but one axiom, with multiple competing examples and interpretations presented.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express uncertainty about the axioms and their implications, leading to potential misunderstandings. The discussion includes various assumptions about the properties of subsets and their relationships to the axioms of subspaces.

mathmari
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Hey! :o

I want to find subsets $S$ of $\mathbb{R}^2$ such that $S$ satisfies all but one axioms of subspaces. A subset that doesn't satisfy the first axiom: We have to find a subset that doesn't contain the zero vector. Is this for example $\left \{\begin{pmatrix}x \\ y\end{pmatrix} : x,y>0\right \}$ ?

A subset that doesn't satisfy the second axiom: We have to find a subset that doesn't contain the sum of two vectors of $S$. Could you give me an example for that?

A subset that doesn't satisfy the third axiom: We have to find a subset that doesn't contain the scalar product of a vector of $S$. Is this for example $\left \{\begin{pmatrix}x \\ y\end{pmatrix} : x\geq 0\right \}$ since $\begin{pmatrix}1 \\ 0\end{pmatrix}\in S$ but $(-1)\cdot \begin{pmatrix}1 \\ 0\end{pmatrix}\notin S$.

(Wondering)
 
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mathmari said:
Hey! :o

I want to find subsets $S$ of $\mathbb{R}^2$ such that $S$ satisfies all but one axioms of subspaces. A subset that doesn't satisfy the first axiom: We have to find a subset that doesn't contain the zero vector. Is this for example $\left \{\begin{pmatrix}x \\ y\end{pmatrix} : x,y>0\right \}$ ?
Yes, that is correct.

A subset that doesn't satisfy the second axiom: We have to find a subset that doesn't contain the sum of two vectors of $S$. Could you give me an example for that?
What about $\{\begin{pmatrix}x \\ y\end{pmatrix}| y= 1\}$?

A subset that doesn't satisfy the third axiom: We have to find a subset that doesn't contain the scalar product of a vector of $S$. Is this for example $\left \{\begin{pmatrix}x \\ y\end{pmatrix} : x\geq 0\right \}$ since $\begin{pmatrix}1 \\ 0\end{pmatrix}\in S$ but $(-1)\cdot \begin{pmatrix}1 \\ 0\end{pmatrix}\notin S$.

(Wondering)
Yes, that is a good example. Another would be, again,
$\{\begin{pmatrix}x \\ y\end{pmatrix}| y= 1\}$.
 
HallsofIvy said:
Yes, that is correct.

For this set the third axiom is not satisfied, is it? (Wondering)

What set could we take so that only the first axiom is not satisfied? (Wondering)
 
mathmari said:
For this set the third axiom is not satisfied, is it? (Wondering)

What set could we take so that only the first axiom is not satisfied? (Wondering)
If a nonempty subset satisfies the second and third properties then it automatically also satisfies the first property. In fact, if a vector $\mathbf{x}$ is in the subset then so is $-\mathbf{x} = (-1)\mathbf{x}$ and therefore so is $\mathbf{0} = \mathbf{x} + (-\mathbf{x})$.

So the only example satisfying the second and third properties but not the first property is the empty set.
 
mathmari said:
Hey! :o

I want to find subsets $S$ of $\mathbb{R}^2$ such that $S$ satisfies all but one axioms of subspaces.

Hey mathmari!

What are your axioms exactly? (Wondering)

Note that all axioms of associativity, commutativity, distributivity, and multiplicative identity are automatically satisfied since the subspace inherits them.

If I'm not mistaken, that leaves:

  • $\forall \mathbf v,\mathbf w\in S: \mathbf v+\mathbf w\in S$
  • $\forall \lambda\in\mathbb R, \forall \mathbf v\in S: \lambda\mathbf v\in S$
  • $\mathbf 0 \in S$
  • $\forall \mathbf v\in S: -\mathbf v\in S$
How did you number them? (Wondering)
 
Opalg said:
If a nonempty subset satisfies the second and third properties then it automatically also satisfies the first property. In fact, if a vector $\mathbf{x}$ is in the subset then so is $-\mathbf{x} = (-1)\mathbf{x}$ and therefore so is $\mathbf{0} = \mathbf{x} + (-\mathbf{x})$.

So the only example satisfying the second and third properties but not the first property is the empty set.

So, in every case is it like that? So if all axioms are satisfied except of one then this can just be the empty set? (Wondering)

- - - Updated - - -

Klaas van Aarsen said:
What are your axioms exactly? (Wondering)

Note that all axioms of associativity, commutativity, distributivity, and multiplicative identity are automatically satisfied since the subspace inherits them.

If I'm not mistaken, that leaves:

  • $\forall \mathbf v,\mathbf w\in S: \mathbf v+\mathbf w\in S$
  • $\forall \lambda\in\mathbb R, \forall \mathbf v\in S: \lambda\mathbf v\in S$
  • $\mathbf 0 \in S$
  • $\forall \mathbf v\in S: -\mathbf v\in S$
How did you number them? (Wondering)

Property 1 is $\mathbf 0 \in S$.
Property 2 is $\forall \mathbf v,\mathbf w\in S: \mathbf v+\mathbf w\in S$.
Property 3 is $\forall \lambda\in\mathbb R, \forall \mathbf v\in S: \lambda\mathbf v\in S$.
 
mathmari said:
So, in every case is it like that? So if all axioms are satisfied except of one then this can just be the empty set? (Wondering)

- - - Updated - - -

Property 1 is $\mathbf 0 \in S$.
Property 2 is $\forall \mathbf v,\mathbf w\in S: \mathbf v+\mathbf w\in S$.
Property 3 is $\forall \lambda\in\mathbb R, \forall \mathbf v\in S: \lambda\mathbf v\in S$.

What happened to the property of the additive inverse? (Wondering)

Suppose we 'break' only property 2.
So we have some $\mathbf v,\mathbf w \in S$ such that $\mathbf v+\mathbf w\not\in S$.
Simplest possible example is $\mathbf v=\binom 1 0, \mathbf w=\binom 0 1$.
Which set would we get if it still satisfies the other properties? (Thinking)
 
Klaas van Aarsen said:
Suppose we 'break' only property 2.
So we have some $\mathbf v,\mathbf w \in S$ such that $\mathbf v+\mathbf w\not\in S$.
Simplest possible example is $\mathbf v=\binom 1 0, \mathbf w=\binom 0 1$.
Which set would we get if it still satisfies the other properties? (Thinking)

The set $\left \{\begin{pmatrix} x \\ y\end{pmatrix} : x\neq y\right \}\cup \left \{\begin{pmatrix} 0 \\ 0\end{pmatrix} \right \}$ ? (Wondering)

If we want that just the axiom 3 is broken then we have $\mathbf{v} \in S$ and $\lambda\in \mathbb{R}$ such that $\lambda \mathbf{v}\not\in S$.

For example $\mathbf{v}=\binom{1}{0}$ and $\lambda= 5$.

A set that satisfies the other twoaxioms is for example $\left \{\begin{pmatrix} x \\ y\end{pmatrix} : x= y+1\right \}$.

If we want that just the axiom 1 is broken then we consider the empty set. Is everything correct? (Wondering)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Klaas van Aarsen said:
What happened to the property of the additive inverse?

Just realized that the additive inverse is covered by property 3 since $-1\cdot \mathbf v=-\mathbf v$. (Blush)

mathmari said:
The set $\left \{\begin{pmatrix} x \\ y\end{pmatrix} : x\neq y\right \}\cup \left \{\begin{pmatrix} 0 \\ 0\end{pmatrix} \right \}$ ?

That works yes. (Nod)

Alternatively we could have constructed the smallest set that satisfies the remaining properties.
Due to property 1 we must include $\mathbf 0$.
And due to property 3 we must include $\mathbb R\cdot\binom 10$ and $\mathbb R \cdot \binom 01$.
So a minimal set is:
$$\mathbb R\left \{\begin{pmatrix} 1 \\ 0 \end{pmatrix} \right\}\cup \mathbb R\left \{\begin{pmatrix} 0 \\ 1 \end{pmatrix} \right\}$$
(Nerd)

mathmari said:
If we want that just the axiom 3 is broken then we have $\mathbf{v} \in S$ and $\lambda\in \mathbb{R}$ such that $\lambda \mathbf{v}\not\in S$.

For example $\mathbf{v}=\binom{1}{0}$ and $\lambda= 5$.

A set that satisfies the other twoaxioms is for example $\left \{\begin{pmatrix} x \\ y\end{pmatrix} : x= y+1\right \}$.

That does not work since $\mathbf 0$ in not in the set now. (Worried)
Furthermore, if $\binom 10$ is in the set, then according to property 2 so is $\binom 10+\binom 10+\binom 10+\binom 10+\binom 10=\binom 50$, which is a contradiction. (Sweating)

We can start with $\mathbf{v}=\binom{1}{0}$ though.
From property 2 it follows that every integer multiple must be in the set as well.
And that includes $\mathbf 0$.

That is the minimum we must have according to properties 1 and 2.
If we pick this minimal set, does it satisfy property 3? (Wondering)

mathmari said:
If we want that just the axiom 1 is broken then we consider the empty set.

Yep. (Nod)
 
  • #10
Klaas van Aarsen said:
That does not work since $\mathbf 0$ in not in the set now. (Worried)
Furthermore, if $\binom 10$ is in the set, then according to property 2 so is $\binom 10+\binom 10+\binom 10+\binom 10+\binom 10=\binom 50$, which is a contradiction. (Sweating)

We can start with $\mathbf{v}=\binom{1}{0}$ though.
From property 2 it follows that every integer multiple must be in the set as well.
And that includes $\mathbf 0$.

That is the minimum we must have according to properties 1 and 2.
If we pick this minimal set, does it satisfy property 3? (Wondering)

I haven't really understood that part. What set could we take? (Wondering)
 
  • #11
mathmari said:
I haven't really understood that part. What set could we take?

$$\mathbb Z \cdot \left\{ \begin{pmatrix}1\\0\end{pmatrix} \right\}$$
(Thinking)
 
  • #12
Klaas van Aarsen said:
$$\mathbb Z \cdot \left\{ \begin{pmatrix}1\\0\end{pmatrix} \right\}$$
(Thinking)

Ah and if we multiply the vector by a negative scalar, the result will not be in the set, right? (Wondering)
 
  • #13
mathmari said:
Ah and if we multiply the vector by a negative scalar, the result will not be in the set, right?

No... $-2\cdot\binom 10=\binom {-2}0$ will be in the set as well... (Sweating)
After all, $-2$ is an element of $\mathbb Z$, isn't it?
 
  • #14
Klaas van Aarsen said:
No... $-2\cdot\binom 10=\binom {-2}0$ will be in the set as well... (Sweating)
After all, $-2$ is an element of $\mathbb Z$, isn't it?

Oh yes... But then why is the axiom 3 not satisfied? (Wondering)
 
  • #15
mathmari said:
Oh yes... But then why is the axiom 3 not satisfied?

How about $\binom{1.5}0$? (Wondering)
 
  • #16
Klaas van Aarsen said:
How about $\binom{1.5}0$? (Wondering)

Ahh so the if we multiply the vector of the set by a non-integer real number, the result will not be in the set and so this is set is not closed under scalar multipliation.

Have I understood that correctly? (Wondering)
 
  • #17
mathmari said:
Ahh so the if we multiply the vector of the set by a non-integer real number, the result will not be in the set and so this is set is not closed under scalar multiplication.

Have I understood that correctly?

Yup. (Nod)
 

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