Linear Algebra I MT22, Steinitz Exchange Lemma


Flashcards

What is the technical statement of the Steinitz exchange lemma, in terms of $V$, $X$, $Y$, $u$ and $v _ i$?


Let $V$ be a vector space and let $X = \{v _ 1, v _ 2, \ldots, v _ n\} \subseteq V$. Suppose that $u \in \langle X \rangle$ but that $u \notin \langle X \backslash \{v _ i\} \rangle$ for some $i$. Let $Y = (X \backslash \{v _ i\}) \cup \{u\}$. Then $\langle Y \rangle = \langle X \rangle$.

When proving the Steinitz exchange lemma, what common proof technique do you use to show that the two sets $\langle X \rangle$ and $\langle Y \rangle$ are the same?


Double inclusion.

When proving the Steinitz exchange lemma

Let $V$ be a vector space and let $X = \{v _ 1, v _ 2, \ldots, v _ n\} \subseteq V$. Suppose that $u \in \langle X \rangle$ but that $u \notin \langle X \backslash \{v _ i\} \rangle$ for some $i$. Let $Y = (X \backslash \{v _ i\}) \cup \{u\}$. Then $\langle Y \rangle = \langle X \rangle$.

What’s the basic idea?


Rewriting $v _ i$ in terms of $u$ and other vectors in $X$.

Let $V$ be a vector space. Let $S, T$ be finite subsets of $V$. If $S$ is linearly independent and $T$ spans $V$, then what must be true?


\[|S| \le |T|\]

When proving that a linearly independent set $S$ is always smaller than or equal to a spanning set $T$, what’s the main idea?


Use the Steinitz exchange lemma to swap vectors from $S$ and $T$ until $S$ is exhausted.

When proving that a linearly independent set $S$ is always smaller than or equal to a spanning set $T$, you work with a series of sets $T _ 0, T _ 1, \ldots T _ m$. Why?


You end up showing

\[\begin{aligned} |T| &= |T_0| \\\\ &= |T_1| \\\\ &= \ldots \\\\ &= |T_m| \\\\ &\ge |S| \end{aligned}\]

What result (in full) do you quote to prove that all bases of a finite-dimensional vector space $V$ are of the same size?


Let $V$ be a finite-dimensional vector space and $S, T$ finite subsets of $V$. If $S$ is linearly independent, and $\langle T \rangle = V$, then $ \vert S \vert \le \vert T \vert $.




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