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Exercise 1022Linear algebra › Inner product spacesL1Added 3 Nov 2026

An orthogonal basis from the standard basis

#orthogonal basis#Gram-Schmidt#polynomial space

Statement

In R2[X]\mathbb{R}_2[X] with inner product ⟨P,Q⟩=∫01P(t)Q(t) dt\langle P,Q\rangle=\int_0^1 P(t)Q(t)\,dt, orthonormalize the basis (1,X,X2)(1,X,X^2).

Hint

Apply Gram-Schmidt with respect to the integral inner product.

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Solution

Step 1. ⟨1,1⟩=∫011 dt=1\langle 1,1\rangle=\int_0^1 1\,dt=1, so u1=1u_1=1.

Step 2. ⟨X,1⟩=∫01t dt=1/2\langle X,1\rangle=\int_0^1 t\,dt=1/2. Orthogonal part:
w2=X−12.w_2=X-\frac12.
Norm: ∥w2∥2=∫01(t−1/2)2 dt=1/12\|w_2\|^2=\int_0^1(t-1/2)^2\,dt=1/12. So u2=23(X−1/2)=3(2X−1)u_2=2\sqrt3(X-1/2)=\sqrt3(2X-1).

Step 3. ⟨X2,1⟩=1/3\langle X^2,1\rangle=1/3, ⟨X2,u2⟩=3∫01t2(2t−1) dt=3(1/2−1/3)=3/6\langle X^2,u_2\rangle=\sqrt3\int_0^1 t^2(2t-1)\,dt=\sqrt3(1/2-1/3)=\sqrt3/6. Orthogonal part:
w3=X2−13−36⋅3(2X−1)=X2−13−12(2X−1)=X2−X+16.w_3=X^2-\frac13-\frac{\sqrt3}{6}\cdot\sqrt3(2X-1)=X^2-\frac13-\frac12(2X-1)=X^2-X+\frac16.
Norm: ∥w3∥2=∫01(X2−X+1/6)2 dt=1/180\|w_3\|^2=\int_0^1(X^2-X+1/6)^2\,dt=1/180. So u3=65(X2−X+1/6)u_3=6\sqrt5(X^2-X+1/6).

Conclusion. The orthonormal basis is (1,3(2X−1),65(X2−X+1/6))(1,\sqrt3(2X-1),6\sqrt5(X^2-X+1/6)).