Maths WorkshopMaths problems with full solutions
Exercise 1924Linear algebra › Vector spaces and subspacesL1Added 3 Nov 2026

Quotient vector space

#quotient space#cosets#dimension

Statement

Let E=R3E=\mathbb{R}^3 and F=span⁡((1,1,1))F=\operatorname{span}((1,1,1)). Describe the quotient space E/FE/F and compute its dimension.

Hint

Two vectors are equivalent mod FF iff their difference is a multiple of (1,1,1)(1,1,1).

Show solutionHide solution

Solution

Equivalence. u∼vu\sim v iff u−v∈Fu-v\in F, i.e. u−v=λ(1,1,1)u-v=\lambda(1,1,1) for some λ∈R\lambda\in\mathbb{R}. So uu and vv have the same "difference of coordinates": if u=(x1,y1,z1)u=(x_1,y_1,z_1) and v=(x2,y2,z2)v=(x_2,y_2,z_2), then u∼vu\sim v iff x1−x2=y1−y2=z1−z2x_1-x_2=y_1-y_2=z_1-z_2.

Classes. Each class can be represented by a vector of the form (a,b,0)(a,b,0), where a=x−za=x-z and b=y−zb=y-z. The map E/F→R2E/F\to\mathbb{R}^2, [x,y,z]↦(x−z,y−z)[x,y,z]\mapsto(x-z,y-z), is an isomorphism.

Dimension. dim⁡(E/F)=dim⁡E−dim⁡F=3−1=2\dim(E/F)=\dim E-\dim F=3-1=2.

Conclusion. E/F≅R2E/F\cong\mathbb{R}^2.