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Linear Algebra Questions

lucas215lucas215 Registered User new member
edited December 2008 in Help / Advice Forum
Hello

I was just wondering if anybody out there knows a lot about linear algebra. I have two short proofs that I am having problems with. They don't seem that difficult, but for some reason I am having problems with them. If I get any responses to this post, I can put the problems up so everyone can see. They deal with the topics of one-to-one, onto, and subspaces. Thanks everyone.

Lucas

lucas215 on

Posts

  • KyleWPetersonKyleWPeterson Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    I got an "A" in Calculus and Linear Algebra a few summers back, so I could try to give it a go, but no promises.

    KyleWPeterson on
  • Fizban140Fizban140 Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2008
    I hate to do this, but what is -8^2? Logic tells me (-8)*(-8) = 64 but my math book says it is -64.

    Fizban140 on
  • KyleWPetersonKyleWPeterson Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    If the negative number is in parenthesis then it is 64. If not, it is negative 64.

    KyleWPeterson on
  • Fizban140Fizban140 Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2008
    It is just written as -8²

    Fizban140 on
  • UsagiUsagi Nah Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    which implies -(8)^2

    Usagi on
  • KyleWPetersonKyleWPeterson Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Fizban140 wrote: »
    It is just written as -8²
    -8² = -64
    (-8)² = 64
    -(8)² = -64

    KyleWPeterson on
  • Fizban140Fizban140 Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2008
    -8² = -8*-8 correct? Which would be 64.
    How do the parentheses change the way you would out the problem?

    Fizban140 on
  • Fizban140Fizban140 Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2008
    I am trying really hard to make math logical but I just can not see it most of the time, there are so many special rules that have to be applied for certain circumstances that will work there, sometimes in other places and never in most places.

    So -(8)² is -8^-2 which is -8*-8 and -(8)² is just -8*8?

    Fizban140 on
  • ProPatriaMoriProPatriaMori Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Exponentiation first. The negative is equivalent to multiplying by negative one which happens second. -8^2 is -(8^2).

    Edit: So what happened to OP asking about linear algebra?

    ProPatriaMori on
  • Fizban140Fizban140 Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2008
    So it is not actually negative 8 it is just 8*8 with a negative sign in front?

    Fizban140 on
  • Fizban140Fizban140 Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2008
    I was taught in class that a number to an exponent that is even is always positive, odd is always negative, so my teacher is wrong? I am frustrated and just about done with this shit.

    Fizban140 on
  • KyleWPetersonKyleWPeterson Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Your teacher is right and wrong.

    KyleWPeterson on
  • Fizban140Fizban140 Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2008
    Fuck.

    So I think I figured it out, -8² is just a short way of writing -(8*8). That makes sense to me.
    (-8)² would be -8*-8 right?
    When looking at exponents I have to think of them as being in parentheses, or just use the order of operations?

    Fizban140 on
  • Smug DucklingSmug Duckling Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    any number to an even exponent is even, a negative number to an odd exponent is negative.

    EDIT: Always use order of operations. Exponentiation comes before subtraction. Brackets come before exponentiation.

    Smug Duckling on
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  • UsagiUsagi Nah Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
  • Fizban140Fizban140 Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2008
    I think I got this now, I am struggling on fucking order of operations so I will not be able to get too far in math will I?

    Fizban140 on
  • MKRMKR Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    PEMDAS

    It's a useful mnemonic and sounds like a sci-fi robot name.

    MKR on
  • Fizban140Fizban140 Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2008
    I know it I just have trouble applying it, and I always find a new way it can fuck me over. Right now I am trying to do -(--1--3) I have no idea what to do with all those negatives.

    Fizban140 on
  • MKRMKR Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    What mathematical madman devised that composition of numbers?

    Google poked at it and came up with "-((-(-1)) - (-3)) = -4". Google is pretty smart, so it's probably right. If you can wrap your brain around it (which I can't with how sleepy I am, so I'm no help there), you might be able to solve the mysteries of the universe.

    edit: I worked it out on paper and did it in this order:
    -(- -1 - -3)

    -(1 + 3)
    The --1 means do the opposite, so the -1 becomes 1. Then change the - between 1 and 3 to a plus and turn the -3 to positive.

    -1 + -3
    Magical opposite brackets!

    -4

    And past that it's pretty straightforward. I may have messed up somewhere so hopefully someone will check it independently.

    edit: I got the order wrong in the post, but it all makes sense on paper where I did all the steps on paper rather than in my head.

    edit: I got confused after the magic opposite bracket. Now it all seems to make sense.

    Basically, move slowly and break problems down into components to make it less of a headache.

    MKR on
  • OrestesOrestes Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Think of (+ -) something as ( - ) something,
    (- -) something as ( + ) something,

    Also, I am currently taking LinAlg, my final is in a couple hours, and I dealt with all the topic's you're talking about. If you wanna thrown down the question, I'll be happy to look at it tomorrow, and try and solve it (mind you, I'm not the greatest at it).

    Orestes on
  • OrestesOrestes Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Fizban140 wrote: »
    I was taught in class that a number to an exponent that is even is always positive, odd is always negative, so my teacher is wrong? I am frustrated and just about done with this shit.

    Also, 99% of the time, when people write down numbers negatives to exponents, they rarely take the time to place draw parenthasis around the negative and the number. But that's usually what they're implying.

    However, from what I'm gathering, you're just learning about them, so the math teacher is trying to enforce the idea that -8^2, is really, 8^2, with a negative in the front.

    But generally, in most math classes (at least the one's I've taken, and I'm taking quite a few at the moment (Engineering FTW :( )). -8^2, actually means (-8)^2, not -(8)^2.

    So, don't get fustrated over what you're being taught. Just try and keep in mind, that the generally accepted form right now, is not actually the accepted form

    Edit: Wow, I just reread what I wrote, and that made MINIMAL sense. If it doesn't make sense, or confuses you, just ignore it. I'll correct it tomorrow after some sleep

    Orestes on
  • Little JimLittle Jim __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2008
    answered your pm as well but might as well post the questions here

    Little Jim on
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