Math 2S03 Review problems 02/03/2011

1. Consider the set R+ = {x ∈ R | x > 0} of positive real numbers, and define operations
⊕ and  by setting x ⊕ y = xy for all x, y ∈ R+ and a  x = xa for all a ∈ R and all
x ∈ R+ .
(a) Show that with these operations, (R+ , ⊕, ) becomes an R–vector space. What is
the zero vector?
(b) Is the vector space R+ finite-dimensional? Why or why not?

2. For the following sets and operations, which of the group axioms hold? Are any
monoids?
(a) (R, ∗) with the operation ∗ defined by setting a ∗ b = a + b + ab.
(b) (Q∗ , ∗) where Q∗ denotes the set of nonzero rational numbers and ∗ is defined by
a ∗ b = a/b.
(c) (Z+ , ∗) where Z+ denotes the set of positive integers wand ∗ is defined by setting
a ∗ b = lcm(a, b) (the least common multiple).

3. (a) Let G and H be groups with identities eG and eH . The Cartesian product is the
set of pairs
G × H = {(g, h) | g ∈ G, h ∈ H},
and we define a binary operation on G × H by setting (g1 , h1 ) ∗ (g2 , h2 ) = (g1 g2 , h1 h2 ).
Show that G × H is a group under this operation with identity (eG , eH ).
(b) Determine the Cayley table for the group Z/2 × Z/2.
√ √
4. (a) Let Q( 2) = {a + b 2 | a, b ∈ Q}. With the natural√ operations of addition and
a subset of R,√show that Q( 2) forms a field.
multiplication it inherits as √
(b) Show that the subset Z[ 2] = {a + b 2 | a, b ∈ Z} is a ring but not a field. Is it an
integral domain? Why or why not?

5. Find the gcd of 2x10 − 2 and x10 − x5 − x2 + 1 in Q[x].

6. (a) Use the Euclidean algorithm to determine d = gcd(30927, 58812).

(b) Determine r, s ∈ Z so that d = 30927 · r + 58812 · s.
(c) Show that ā has a multiplicative inverse in Z/n if and only if gcd(a, n) = 1 in Z.
(Hint: Use the Euclidean algorithm to show that gcd(a, n) = 1 if and only if there exist r, s ∈ Z with ra + sn = 1.)

7. Use induction to prove:

n
(a) 7 = 6n + 1 in Z/36.
(b) If X is a finite set with n elements, then 2X is also finite and has 2n elements.

8. Consider the following polynomials in f (x) = 2x3 + 2x2 + 4x + 3, g(x) = x3 + 6x + 4,

and h(x) = 2x3 + 3x2 + 2x + 3 in F7 [x]. Find gcd(f, g), gcd(g, h) and gcd(f, h).

1
9. Consider the vector space V = Mn (F ) of n × n matrices defined over some field
F. Let U be the subspace of symmetric matrices in V , and let W be the subspace of
upper–triangular matrices in V . Determine the dimensions of U ∩ W and U + W.
10. Suppose U and W are subspaces of a finite-dimensional vector space V . Show that
dim(U + W ) = dim U if and only if W ⊆ U .
11. Consider the function T : C → C with T (z) = z+z̄ 2
.
Show that T is not a linear transformation if we regard C as a complex vector space, but
that it is a linear transformation if we instead view C as a real vector space.
12. Answer True or False. Note that F2 refers to the field with two elements.
(a) If U and W are both 3-dimensional subspaces of a 5-dimensional vector space V and
U + W = V, then U ∩ W is 1-dimensional.
(b) For any field F , there is an injective linear transformation P3 (F ) → F 3 .
(c) For any field F , there is an surjective linear transformation P3 (F ) → F 3 .
(d) The natural linear transformation L : P(F2 ) → F (F2 ) from the vector space of
F2 -polynomials to the vector space of functions {f : F2 → F2 } is an injection.
(e) The linear transformation L : P(F2 ) → F (F2 ) from part (d) is a surjection.