#math/linear-algebra #flashcards/math
A vector space, $V$, is a set over $F$, along with an addition function on $V$, $V \times V \to V$, and scalar multiplication function on $V$, $F \times V \to V$ that satisfies the following properties: commutativity, associativity, additive identity, additive inverse, multiplicative identity and distributive properties.
A vector space is **not** a field since it does not have **internal** multiplication or addition properties, i.e. a vector space (times or plus) a vector space = a vector space.
**A Vector Space can be a set of functions**
If $S$ is a set, then $F^S$ is a vector space that is the set of functions from $S \to F$.
- Let $x \in{} S; f,g \in{} F^s, \lambda \in{} F$.
- Sum of $f+g \in{} F^S$ is the function $(f+g)(x) = f(x) + g(x)$
- Product of $\lambda f \in{} F^s$ is the function $(\lambda f)(x) = \lambda f(x)$
The remaining vector space axioms can be demonstrated subsequently.
- The zero function, $0 : S \to F$ is $0(x) = 0$
- The inverse function, $-f : S \to F$ is $(-f)(x) = -f(x)$
**F^n and F^inf are cases of F^S**
Since $F^n$ is a list of numbers in $F$ of length $n$, it can be reimagined as a discrete function ${1,\dots,n} \to F$. The same logic extends to $F^\infty$.
- $(42, 3, 6) \in{} \mathbb{R}^3$, represented in $\mathbb{R}^{\{1,2,3\}}$ would be the element (a function) $f : \{1,2,3\} \to R$ where $f(1) = 42, f(2) = 3, f(3)=6$. Now extend this for all $(x_{1}, x_{2}, x_{3}) \in{} \mathbb{R}^3$.
- $\mathbb{R}^{[0,1]}$ is the set of all functions $f : [0,1] \to \mathbb{R}$.
**Additional Properties**
From the vector space axioms, you can prove the following attributes:
- Unique additive identity
- Unique additive inverse
- $0v = 0$
- $a0 =0$