Understanding Matrices and Norms: Working Through a Proof

  • Thread starter Thread starter mathboy
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Matrices
Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around understanding a proof related to matrices and norms, specifically addressing a step in a mathematical argument presented in a linked image. Participants are exploring identities and inequalities relevant to the proof.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the implications of a mathematical identity involving sums and squares, questioning how to apply it to their proof. There is also a focus on the non-negativity of certain expressions and the potential for generalization. Some participants express uncertainty about specific steps and the correctness of the original proof.

Discussion Status

The conversation is ongoing, with participants sharing insights and identities that may aid in understanding the proof. There are indications of potential typos in the original solution, and some participants are attempting to clarify or correct these issues while exploring the implications of their findings.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working with a proof from a calculus text and are considering the possibility of typographical errors in the original material. There is mention of different summation limits that may affect the interpretation of the proof.

mathboy
Messages
182
Reaction score
0
I'm trying to understand one step in the following proof to the following problem:

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/264/82127528zq9.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
I'm not sure if this will help you explicitly, but there's a little identity that might contribute to your solution

We know that

\displaystyle\left( \sum_i a_i \right) ^2 \geq 0

by non-negativity of a square, with equality holding iff the summand is identically 0. Furthermore, we can expand this to

\displaystyle\left( \sum_i a_i \right) ^2 = \sum_i a_i^2 + 2 \sum_{i<j} a_i a_j

Thus

\sum_i a_i^2 + 2 \sum_{i<j} a_i a_j \geq 0

Also, this can probably be generalized but off the top of my head I'm not too sure how, but

(x-y)^2 \geq 0

\Rightarrow x^2+y^2-2xy \geq 0

\Rightarrow 2xy \leq x^2+y^2
 
Thanks, but I already knew all that. So far I have

[si [sj(A_ij)y_j]^2]^(1/2) <= [si [sjN y_j]^2]^(1/2) = nN [[sj(y_j)]^2]^(1/2)

but leaves me wondering what to do with [sj(y_j)]^2
 
Then the only thing left that I can think of using is the identity above that I gave, namely

\displaystyle\left( \sum_i a_i \right) ^2 = \sum_i a_i^2 + 2 \sum_{i&lt;j} a_i a_j

Then as long as you can make a non-negativity argument about

\sum_{i&lt;j} a_i a_j

You'll be good to go
 
Still can't get it. I'm just trying to understand one step in the following proof to the following problem:

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/264/82127528zq9.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
In all honesty, I'm wondering if there just isn't a typo. It seems like the exponents should all be nested one parentheses earlier, though I might be missing something
 
It's an online solution by a professor (whom I don't know personally) to Spivak's "Calculus on Manifolds". If it is a typo, what is the proper way to finish it off? I've checked that there is no mistake before the inequality sign.

I'm thinking that his n should be mn
I think I've corrected the professor's solution, and I think his M is supposed to be N[mn]^(1/2)
 
Last edited:
mathboy said:
I'm thinking that his n should be mn
I think I've corrected the professor's solution, and I think his M is supposed to be N[mn]^(1/2)
I think this is correct. He probably made the same mistake I did and treated both summations as if they run up to n, and not that one runs up to n and the other to m.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 36 ·
2
Replies
36
Views
5K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
Replies
0
Views
1K
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
3K
Replies
20
Views
2K
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
11K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K