Is Order of Operations the Same in Vector Spaces as in Junior High School?

In summary, in vector spaces, two operations are defined: addition and scalar multiplication. Scalar multiplication is distributive over addition, which determines the order of operations in a vector space. This convention is similar to how expressions are calculated in junior high school, where multiplication is done before addition and parentheses are calculated first.
  • #1
C0nfused
139
0
Hi everybody,
In vector spaces we define two operations, addition and scalar multiplication. Scalar multiplication is distributive over addition. This can define the order of operations in the vector space? I mean when we have an expression to calculate, we know that we firstly calculate multiplications and after that addition because of this fact? Or is it also a convention? Generally multiplication precedes addition and this also applies to expressions inside parentheses? (we also define that parentheses are calculated before anything else?)
Thanks
 
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  • #2
In a vector space a(B+C) you ould eiher calculate the vector B+C first and multply it by the scalr a or due to the bistrubitive propety you could caculate the vector aB and aC first and add them together. Howvere this is only due to the distroibuitve property of scalr multplication, otherwise you would have to claulate what was in the brackets first.
 
  • #3
i think he means that if you try to dispense with parentheses, say in the exporession cv+w, you know to compute cv first and then add w, rather than computing v+w first and then multiplying by c.

yes, this is the same convention as in junior high school.
 

1. What is a vector space?

A vector space is a mathematical structure that consists of a set of objects called vectors, which can be added together and multiplied by scalars (numbers). This structure allows for mathematical operations such as addition, scalar multiplication, and linear combinations.

2. What are the properties of a vector space?

The properties of a vector space include closure under addition and scalar multiplication, associativity, commutativity, existence of an additive identity (zero vector), existence of additive inverses, and distributivity of scalar multiplication over vector addition.

3. How are vector spaces used in real-world applications?

Vector spaces are used in a variety of fields, including physics, engineering, and computer science, to model and analyze real-world systems. They are particularly useful for representing and solving problems involving multiple dimensions and variables.

4. Can vectors of different dimensions be added together?

No, vectors of different dimensions cannot be added together. The vectors must have the same number of components in order for addition to be defined. For example, a 2-dimensional vector cannot be added to a 3-dimensional vector.

5. What is a basis for a vector space?

A basis for a vector space is a set of linearly independent vectors that span the entire space. This means that any vector in the space can be expressed as a unique linear combination of the basis vectors. The number of basis vectors is equal to the dimension of the vector space.

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