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Linear maps between vector spaces

Definition 0.1. Let V and W be two vector spaces over the same field F. A linear
map from V to W is a map f : V → W which has the property that f (αv + βu) =
αf (v) + βf (u) for all v, u ∈ V and α, β ∈ F.

The class of linear maps between V and W will be denoted by LF (V, W ) or

HomF (V, W ).
From the definition it follows that f (0V ) = 0W and
n
X n
X
f( αi vi ) = αi f (vi ), ∀ αi ∈ F, ∀vi ∈ V, i = 1, n.
i=1 i=1

We shall define now two important notions related to a linear map, the kernel
and the image.
Consider the sets:

ker f = f −1 (0W ) = {v ∈ V |f (v) = 0w }, and

imf = f (V ) = {w ∈ W |∃ v ∈ V, f (v) = w}.

Definition 0.2. The sets ker f and f (V ) are called the kernel (or the null space),
respectively the image of f .

Propozition 0.3. The kernel and the image of a linear map f : V → W are
subspaces of V and W respectively.

Theorem 0.4. Let f : V → W be a linear map between vector spaces V and W

over the field F, V being finite dimensional.

dim V = dim ker f + dim imf.

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Theorem 0.5. Let f : V → W be a linear mapping between vector spaces V and

W , and dim V = dim W < ∞. Then, f (V ) = W iff ker f = {0V }. In particular f
is onto iff f is one to one.

Propozition 0.6. Let f : V → W be a linear map between vector spaces V, W over

F. If f is a bijection, it follows that its inverse f −1 : W → V is a linear map.

Properties of L(V, W )
In this section we will prove some properties of linear maps and of L(V, W ).

Propozition 0.7. Let f : V → W be a linear map between the linear spaces V, W

over F.

1. If V1 ⊆ V is a subspace of V , then f (V1 ) is a subspace of W .

2. If W1 ⊆ W is a subspace of W , then f −1 (W1 ) is a subspace of V .

Definition 0.8. Let f, g : V → W be linear maps between the linear spaces V and
W over F, and α ∈ F. We define

1. f + g : V → W by (f + g)(v) = f (v) + g(v), ∀ v ∈ V , the sum of the linear

maps, and

2. αf : V → W by (αf )(v) = αf (v), ∀ v ∈ V, ∀ α ∈ F, the scalar multiplication

of a linear map.

Propozition 0.9. With the operations defined above L(V, W ) becomes a vector space
over F.

Definition 0.10. The set of endomorphisms of a linear space V is:

End(L) = {f : V → V | f linear }.
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By the results from the previous section, End(V ) is an F linear space.

Let W, U be two other linear spaces over the same field F, f ∈ L(V, W ) and
g ∈ L(W, U ). We define the product (composition) of f and g by h = g ◦ f : V → U ,

h(v) = g(f (v)), ∀ v ∈ V.

Propozition 0.11. The product of two linear maps is a linear map.

Moreover, if f and g as above are isomorphisms, then the product h = g ◦ f is
an isomorphism.

Local form of a linear map

Let V and W be two vector spaces over the same filed F, dim V = m, dim W = n,
and e = {e1 , . . . , em } and f = {f1 , . . . , fn } be bases in V and W respectively. A
linear map T ∈ L(V, W ) is uniquely determined by the values ond the basis e.
We have

T (e1 ) = a11 f1 + · · · + a1n fn ,

T (e2 ) = a21 f1 + · · · + a2n fn ,

..
.

T (em ) = am1 f1 + · · · + amn fn ,

or, in the matrix notation

   
T (e1 ) f1
   
   
 T (e2 )   f2 
 = A  where A = (aij )i=1,m .
.. ..

   
 .   .  j=1,n
   
T (em ) fn
(f,e)
The transposed of A is denoted by MT and is called the matrix of the linear map
T is the bases e and f .
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From the definition of the matrix of a linear map it follows that:

Theorem 0.12. • For T1 , T2 ∈ L(V, W ) and a1 , a2 ∈ F

Ma1 T1 +a2 T2 = a1 MT1 + a2 MT2

• The vector space L(V, W ) is isomporphic to Mm,n (F) by the map T ∈ L(V, W ) 7→
MT (F) ∈ Mm,n (F).

• Particularly End(V ) is isomorphic to Mn (F).

Now we want to see how the image of a vector by a linear map can we expressed.
Let v ∈ V, v = m >
P
i=1 vi ei , or in the matrix notation (v)e (e)1m , where, as usual

 
v1
 
 
 v2 
(v)e = 
 ..


 . 
 
vn
and  
e1
 
 
 e2 
(e)1m =
 ..
.

 . 
 
em
Pn
Now denote T (v) = w = j=1 wj ej ∈ W , we have

T (v) = (w)>
f (f )1n .

Pm
T being linear, we have T (v) = i=1 vi T (ei ), or, again in matrix notation:

T (v) = (v)>
e (T (e))1m .
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(f,e)
From the definition of MT it follows that
(f,e) >
(T (e))1m = (MT ) (f )1n .

So finally we have
(f,e) >
(w)> >
f (f )1n = (v)e (MT ) (f )1n .

By the uniqueness of the coordinates of a vector in a basis it follows that

(f,e) >
(w)> >
f = (v)e (MT ) .

Taking the transposed of the above relation we get

(f,e)
(w)f = (MT )(v)e .

Propozition 0.13. Let V, W, U be vector spaces over F, of dimensions m, n, p, and

T ∈ L(V, W ), S ∈ L(W, U ), with matrices MT and MS , in some basis. Consider
the composition map S ◦ T : V → U with the matrix MS◦T . Then

MS◦T = Ms MT .

Let V and W be vector spaces and T ∈ L(V, W ) be a linear map. In V and

W we consider the bases e = {e1 , . . . , em } and f = {f1 , . . . , fn }, with respect to
(f,e)
these bases the linear map has the matrix MT . If we consider two other bases
e0 = {e01 , . . . , e0m } and f 0 = {f10 , . . . , fn0 } the matrix of T with respect to these bases
(f 0 ,e0 )
will be MT . The relation between the matrices of the same linear map in these
two bases is given by the following theorem.
(f 0 ,e0 ) 0 (f,e) 0
Theorem 0.14. In the above conditions MT = P (f ,f ) MT P (e,e ) .

Corolary 0.15. Let e and e0 be two bases of a finite-dimensional vector space V

(e,e)
and let T : V → V be a linear mapping. If T is represented by matrices A = MT
(e0 ,e0 )
and A0 = MT with respect to e and e0 respectively, then A0 = P AP −1 where P is
the matrix representing the change of basis e to e0 .
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Problems

Problem 0.1. Consider the following mappings T : R3 → R3 . Study which one of

them is a linear mapping.

a) T (x1 , x2 , x3 ) = (x21 , x2 , x3 + x2 ).

b) T (x1 , x2 , x3 ) = (x3 , x1 , x2 ).

c) T (x1 , x2 , x3 ) = (x1 + 2, x2 , x3 − 3).

d) T (x1 , x2 , x3 ) = (x1 + x2 , |x2 | + x3 , x1 + x3 ).

e) T (x1 , x2 , x3 ) = (0, x1 , 0).

f) T (x1 , x2 , x3 ) = (x1 , 2x2 , 3x3 ).

Problem 0.2. Let T : R4 → R3 be a linear mapping represented by the matrix

 
1 0 1 2
 
M = −1 1 1 .
 
0
 
0 −1 −1 −3

Find a basis in ker T, im T and the dimension of the spaces V, W, ker T and im T .

Problem 0.3. Let T : V → W be a linear mapping represented by the matrix

 
1 1 1 2
 
M = −1 1 1 .
 
1
 
0 −2 −2 −3

Compute dim V, dim W and find a basis in im T and ker T .

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Problem 0.4. Let T : R4 → R4 having the matrix

 
1 2 0 1
 
−1 2
 
3 0
MT = 


2 5 3 1
 
1 2 1 3

in the canonical basis {e1 , e2 , e3 , e4 } of R4 .

Find the matrix of T with respect to the following basis.

a) {e1 , e3 , e2 , e4 }.

b) {e1 , e1 + e2 , e1 + e2 + e3 , e1 + e2 + e3 + e4 }.

c) {e4 − e1 , e3 + e4 , e2 − e4 , e4 }.

Problem 0.5. A linear transformation T : R3 → R2 is defined by T (x, x2 , x3 ) =

(x1 −x2 −x3 , −x1 +x3 ). Let e = {(2, 0, 0), (−1, 2, 0), (1, 1, 1)} and f = {(0, −1), (1, 2)}
be bases in R3 and R2 respectively. Find the matrix that represents T with respect
to these bases.

Problem 0.6. A linear transformation T : R3 → R2 is defined by T (v) = A · v,

where  
1 −1 1
A= .
0 2 −1
Compute dim V, dim W and find a basis in im T and ker T .

Problem 0.7. A linear transformation T : R4 → R3 is defined by T (v) = (x − y +

z − t, x + 2y + 2z − t, x − 4y − t). Determine the matrix of T with respect to the
canonical basis in R4 and R3 . Compute dim V, dim W and find a basis in im T and
ker T .
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Problem 0.8. A linear transformation T : R3 → R4 is defined by T (v) = A · v,

where  
1 1 1
 
 
1 2 2
A= .
−1 −1 −1
 
 
0 1 1
Compute dim V, dim W and find a basis in im T and ker T .

Problem 0.9. A linear transformation T : R3 → R3 is defined by T (v) = (x + y −

z, z, 2y + 3z). Let B 0 = {(1, 1, 0), (1, 0, 1), (0, 1, 1)} be basis in R3 . Find the matrix
that represents T with respect to the basis B 0 .

Problem 0.10. We consider the linear transformation T : R3 → R3 defined by

T (v) = A · v, where  
1 1 0
 
A = 0 1 1 .
 
 
1 0 1
Find the matrix that represents T with respect to the basis e01 = (1, 2, 3), e02 =
(3, 1, 2), e03 = (2, 3, 1).