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How do you decompose a vector in R4R^4 into parts belonging to W and W perp?

To decompose a vector in R4\mathbb{R}^4, you separate its components based on the bases of WW and W⊥W^\perp. The part corresponding to the basis of WW (the first two coordinates) forms a vector in WW, and the part corresponding to the basis of W⊥W^\perp (the last two coordinates) forms a vector in W⊥W^\perp.

Conditions

  • The ambient space is R4\mathbb{R}^4.
  • WW has basis {(1000),(0100)}\left\{\begin{pmatrix}1\\0\\0\\0\end{pmatrix},\begin{pmatrix}0\\1\\0\\0\end{pmatrix}\right\}.
  • W⊥W^\perp has basis {(0010),(0001)}\left\{\begin{pmatrix}0\\0\\1\\0\end{pmatrix},\begin{pmatrix}0\\0\\0\\1\end{pmatrix}\right\}.
  • The target vector is given, e.g., (43−26)\begin{pmatrix}4\\3\\-2\\6\end{pmatrix}.

Reasoning, step by step

  1. Start with an arbitrary vector in R4\mathbb{R}^4, such as (43−26)\begin{pmatrix}4\\3\\-2\\6\end{pmatrix}.
  2. Identify the components corresponding to the basis of WW: the first two entries (4 and 3).
  3. Construct the vector in WW: (4300)\begin{pmatrix}4\\3\\0\\0\end{pmatrix}.
  4. Identify the components corresponding to the basis of W⊥W^\perp: the last two entries (-2 and 6).
  5. Construct the vector in W⊥W^\perp: (00−26)\begin{pmatrix}0\\0\\-2\\6\end{pmatrix}.
  6. Verify that the sum of these two vectors equals the original vector.
  7. Conclude that the vector is decomposed into a WW-part and a W⊥W^\perp-part.

Example

The whiteboard shows the specific decomposition: (43−26)=(4300)+(00−26)\begin{pmatrix} 4 \\ 3 \\ -2 \\ 6 \end{pmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix} 4 \\ 3 \\ 0 \\ 0 \end{pmatrix} + \begin{pmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ -2 \\ 6 \end{pmatrix}.

Common misconceptions

  • Thinking that the decomposition requires solving a system of linear equations; in this aligned basis case, it is a direct coordinate split.
  • Assuming that the zero entries in the constructed vectors are arbitrary; they are forced by the definition of the subspaces' bases.

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