MHB What are the basis subsets of a 5-element vector space with additional vectors?

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The discussion focuses on identifying all basis subsets of a 5-element vector space, given a basis B and additional vectors v1, v2, and v3. Several valid subsets of B combined with the additional vectors are proposed, confirming that they maintain linear independence. The conversation highlights that while some subsets are identified, there are more combinations possible, leading to a total of 33 potential basis sets. The participants emphasize the importance of understanding how the additional vectors can replace elements of the original basis while preserving linear independence. The exploration of these combinations illustrates the complexity of vector spaces and basis formation.
mathmari
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Hey! :o

Let $V$ be a vector space with with a 5-element basis $B=\{b_1, \ldots , b_5\}$ and let $v_1:=b_1+b_2$, $v_2:=b_2+b_4$ and $\displaystyle{v_3:=\sum_{i=1}^5(-1)^ib_i}$.

I want to determine all subsets of $B\cup \{v_1, v_2, v_3\}$ that form a basis of $V$.
Are the desired subsets the following ones?

- $B$
- $\{v_1, b_2, b_3, b_4, b_5\}$
- $\{v_1, b_1, b_3, b_4, b_5\}$
- $\{v_2, b_1, b_2, b_3, b_5\}$
- $\{v_2, b_1, b_3, b_4, b_5\}$
- $\{v_3, b_1, b_2, b_3, b_4\}$
- $\{v_3, b_1, b_2, b_3, b_5\}$
- $\{v_3, b_1, b_2, b_4, b_5\}$
- $\{v_3, b_1, b_3, b_4, b_5\}$
- $\{v_3, b_2, b_3, b_4, b_5\}$
- $\{v_1, v_2, b_2, b_3, b_5\}$ Are there also more sets? (Wondering)
 
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Hey mathmari!

Yep. Those are all a basis of $V$.
And yes, there are more sets.
Currently you have all the ones with exactly one of $\{v_1,v_2,v_3\}$, but only those.
For starters, shouldn't $\{b_1, b_2, b_3, b_4, b_5\}$ be in the list?
And how about $\{v_1, v_2, b_1, b_3, b_5\}$? (Wondering)
 
Klaas van Aarsen said:
Currently you have all the ones with exactly one of $\{v_1,v_2,v_3\}$, but only those.
For starters, shouldn't $\{b_1, b_2, b_3, b_4, b_5\}$ be in the list?

That is the set $B$, so I have added that one. (Thinking)
Klaas van Aarsen said:
And how about $\{v_1, v_2, b_1, b_3, b_5\}$? (Wondering)

The elements $b_1$ and $b_2$ can be replaced by $v_1$, the elements $b_2$ and $b_4$ can be replaced by $v_2$ and the all the elements $b_i$ can be replaced by $v_3$, right? (Wondering)

So, we get the following sets:

- $B=\{b_1, b_2, b_3, b_4, b_5\}$
- $\{v_1, b_2, b_3, b_4, b_5\}$
- $\{b_1, v_1, b_3, b_4, b_5\}$
- $\{b_1, v_2, b_3, b_4, b_5\}$
- $\{b_1, b_2, b_3, v_2, b_5\}$
- $\{v_3, b_2, b_3, b_4, b_5\}$
- $\{b_1, v_3, b_3, b_4, b_5\}$
- $\{b_1, b_2, v_3, b_4, b_5\}$
- $\{b_1, b_2, b_3, v_3, b_5\}$
- $\{b_1, b_2, b_3, b_4, v_3\}$
- $\{v_1, v_2, b_3, b_4, b_5\}$
- $\{v_1, b_2, b_3, v_2, b_5\}$
- $\{b_1, v_1, b_3, v_2, b_5\}$
- $\{v_1, v_3, b_3, b_4, b_5\}$
- $\{v_1, b_2, v_3, b_4, b_5\}$
- $\{v_1, b_2, b_3, v_3, b_5\}$
- $\{v_1, b_2, b_3, b_4, v_3\}$
- $\{v_3, v_1, b_3, b_4, b_5\}$
- $\{b_1, v_1, v_3, b_4, b_5\}$
- $\{b_1, v_1, b_3, v_3, b_5\}$
- $\{b_1, v_1, b_3, b_4, v_3\}$
- $\{v_3, v_2, b_3, b_4, b_5\}$
- $\{b_1, v_2, v_3, b_4, b_5\}$
- $\{b_1, v_2, b_3, v_3, b_5\}$
- $\{b_1, v_2, b_3, b_4, v_3\}$
- $\{v_3, b_2, b_3, v_2, b_5\}$
- $\{b_1, v_3, b_3, v_2, b_5\}$
- $\{b_1, b_2, v_3, v_2, b_5\}$
- $\{b_1, b_2, b_3, v_2, v_3\}$

I think I have now all the popssible sets, or not? (Wondering)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You have 29 sets, but I think there are 33. (Thinking)

I have:
\begin{align*}
\{b_1, b_2, b_3, b_4, b_5\} \\
\{v_1, b_1, b_3, b_4, b_5\} \\
\{v_1, b_2, b_3, b_4, b_5\} \\
\{v_1, v_2, b_1, b_3, b_5\} \\
\{v_1, v_2, b_2, b_3, b_5\} \\
\{v_1, v_2, b_3, b_4, b_5\} \\
\{v_1, v_2, v_3, b_1, b_3\} \\
\{v_1, v_2, v_3, b_1, b_5\} \\
\{v_1, v_2, v_3, b_2, b_3\} \\
\{v_1, v_2, v_3, b_2, b_5\} \\
\{v_1, v_2, v_3, b_3, b_4\} \\
\{v_1, v_2, v_3, b_3, b_5\} \\
\{v_1, v_2, v_3, b_4, b_5\} \\
\{v_1, v_3, b_1, b_3, b_4\} \\
\{v_1, v_3, b_1, b_3, b_5\} \\
\{v_1, v_3, b_1, b_4, b_5\} \\
\{v_1, v_3, b_2, b_3, b_4\} \\
\{v_1, v_3, b_2, b_3, b_5\} \\
\{v_1, v_3, b_2, b_4, b_5\} \\
\{v_1, v_3, b_3, b_4, b_5\} \\
\{v_2, b_1, b_2, b_3, b_5\} \\
\{v_2, b_1, b_3, b_4, b_5\} \\
\{v_2, v_3, b_1, b_2, b_3\} \\
\{v_2, v_3, b_1, b_2, b_5\} \\
\{v_2, v_3, b_1, b_3, b_4\} \\
\{v_2, v_3, b_1, b_4, b_5\} \\
\{v_2, v_3, b_2, b_3, b_5\} \\
\{v_2, v_3, b_3, b_4, b_5\} \\
\{v_3, b_1, b_2, b_3, b_4\} \\
\{v_3, b_1, b_2, b_3, b_5\} \\
\{v_3, b_1, b_2, b_4, b_5\} \\
\{v_3, b_1, b_3, b_4, b_5\} \\
\{v_3, b_2, b_3, b_4, b_5\} \\
\end{align*}
 
Ahh ok! But the idea is the following, or not?

We consider the basis $B=\{b_1, b_2, b_3, b_4, b_5\}$. The vector $v_1$ replace each of the vectors $b_1$ and $b_2$, the vector $v_2$ can replace each of the vectors $b_2$ and $b_4$, the vector $v_3$ can replace each of the 5 vectors $b_1, b_2, b_3, b_4, b_5$, and the set that we get is again a basis since the elements remain linearly independent.

(Wondering)
 
mathmari said:
Ahh ok! But the idea is the following, or not?

We consider the basis $B=\{b_1, b_2, b_3, b_4, b_5\}$. The vector $v_1$ replace each of the vectors $b_1$ and $b_2$, the vector $v_2$ can replace each of the vectors $b_2$ and $b_4$, the vector $v_3$ can replace each of the 5 vectors $b_1, b_2, b_3, b_4, b_5$, and the set that we get is again a basis since the elements remain linearly independent.

That sounds about right.
I also think that it's easy to make mistakes. (Worried)
 
Klaas van Aarsen said:
I also think that it's easy to make mistakes. (Worried)

What do you mean? (Wondering)
 

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