Questions tagged [orthogonality]

This tag can be used to refer to the orthogonality of a set of vectors, a matrix or a linear transformation.

Two non-zero vectors $v$ and $w$ in an inner product space are orthogonal if $\langle v, w\rangle = 0$. Note that $v$ and $w$ are orthogonl if and only if the line spanned by $v$ and the line spanned by $w$ are perpendicular (the angle between them is $90^{\circ}$ or $\frac{\pi}{2}$ radians).

A set of non-zero vectors is called (pairwise) orthogonal if each pair of vectors in the set are orthogonal. Note that if a set of non-zero vectors is orthogonal, then it is linearly independent. If in addition to being orthogonal, all the vectors in the set have length one, it is called an orthonormal set.

A square matrix $A$ is called orthogonal if it is invertible and $A^T = A^{-1}$. A matrix $A$ is orthogonal if and only if the rows of $A$ are orthonormal and the columns of $A$ are orthonormal.

A linear transformation $T$ from an inner product space $V$ to itself is called orthogonal if $\langle T(v), T(w)\rangle = \langle v, w\rangle$ for all $v, w \in V$. Note that if $V$ is finite-dimensional, and we fix a basis for $V$, then $T(v) = Av$ for some square matrix $A$. In that case, $T$ is orthogonal if and only if $A$ is an orthogonal matrix.

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Why are right angles important

I am interested if there is a concise mathematical way of expressing what is important about a right angle. I am not so much asking for, say, a list of applications of right angles. Obviously they are used in endless situations and analyses. But my…
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Orthogonality of discrete sine functions

can somebody provide a proof of the attached result ? (excerpt from a thesis document). It seemed obvious but I got lost in the calculations. Many thanks Gerald But discrete $\sin$ functions that we consider are orthogonal when $x_j\ne…
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Finding $M^\perp$ given $M$

Let $X = \mathbb{R}^2$. Find the annihilator $M^{\perp}$ if $M$ is: (a) $\{x\}$, where $x = (x_1,x_2) \not=0$. (b) a linearly independent set $\{x_1,x_2\} \subseteq X$. Here is what I tried so far. In both parts, I am stuck, not sure how to…
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Inuition behind orthogonality of Euclidean vectors

Let $a=(x_1,x_2,x_3)$ and $b=(y_1,y_2,y_3)$ be Euclidean vectors. These vectors are said to be orthogonal iff $\displaystyle \sum_{i=1}^n x_iy_i=0$. I have a hard time understanding how this formalisation captures the intuitive notion of…
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Can anyone show me a method to find A,B,C,D?

I have these set of vectors; $$(1,-1,-1,1)$$ $$(1,-1,1,-1)$$ $$(1,1,-1,-1) $$ $$(A,B,C,D)$$ The conditions on A,B,C,D are that they have to be either be 1 or -1, these elements have to add up to 0 and they have to be orthogonal to all the above…
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Orthogonal projection using columns of DFT matrix yield vector with entries reversed.

I have a vector $\displaystyle \vec{v}=\begin{bmatrix} 1 \\ 2 \\ 3 \\4 \end{bmatrix}$ and wish to decompose it as a sum of orthogonal projections using the DFT matrix, $$ W=\frac{1}{2}\cdot \begin{bmatrix} 1 & 1 & 1 & 1 \\ 1 & -i & -1 & i \\ 1 &…
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Is it possible to find the orthogonal complement of a single vector (something that is not a subspace)?

This is the problem that I have been asked: Find the orthogonal complement of the transpose of the vector = [3,4,1]. Also find the point on the plane 2x-3y+z=0 which is closest to (3,4,1). I know how to do the second part of the this problem, and I…
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Proof that $f$ is an orthogonal map by conditions

Let $(V, \langle,\rangle)$ be an euclidean Vector space and let $v_1 \in V$ with $||v_1||=1$. Let $f \in \operatorname{End}(V)$ with the two properties: $(1) ||f(v_1)||= 1.$ $(2)\space \forall \space v, w \in V$ the following applies: $\langle v, w…
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orthogonality exercise in Hilbert space

Let X a Hilbert space, S is a closed vector subspace of X. Suppose that $(x_n)$ is a Cauchy sequence in X. Prove the following statements: The sequence $(P_S(x_n))$ is a Cauchy sequence in S. $x_n - P_S(x_n) \in S^{\perp}$
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Calulate norms of orthogonals vectors

I need to calculate $(||2u+3v||^2 - ||2u-3v||^2)$ knowing that u and v are orthogonal. I don't understand how i can calculate without any information on those vectors and why the fact that these vectors are orthogonal help to that.
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Square Summable coefficients in a Hilbert Space, when the basis is NOT orthonormal/orthogonal.

If $\{f_j\}_{j = 1}^{\infty}$ is a bounded sequence of vectors in a Hilbert space $\mathcal{H}$, and $g \in \mathcal{H}$ is such that $$g = \sum_{j = 1}^{\infty}c_jf_j,$$ then must we have that $$\sum_{j = 1}^{\infty}|c_j|^2 < \infty?$$ I would…
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Orthogonal complement of complex subspace

I have a dot product defined by a matrix $$ A= \begin{pmatrix} 2 & 0 & 1+i \\ 0 & 3 & -1 \\ 1-i & -1 & 3 \\ \end{pmatrix} $$ and I want to find an orthogonal complement of a subspace $$W=span\{(-i,1,1+i),(-1-i,1,3)\}$$ I think I…
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Orthogonality - can anyone help me out?

Determine whether or not the following three vectors in $\mathbb{R}^4$ form an orthogonal set: $$\vec{u}_1=\begin{bmatrix} 1 \\ 2 \\ 1 \\ 0 \end{bmatrix}, \vec{u}_2=\begin{bmatrix} 2 \\ -1 \\ 0 \\ 1 \end{bmatrix}, \vec{u}_3=\begin{bmatrix} -1 \\…
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Proving $(Qv) \cdot (Qw) = v \cdot w$ given $Q$ is orthogonal

there is a proof for $Q$ being a $3x3$ real matrix, and $v,w \ in \mathbb{R}^3$ that shows $(Qv) \cdot (Qw) = v \cdot w$. It goes like this: $(Qv) \cdot (Qw) = v \cdot (Q^{T}Qw) = v \cdot (Iw) = v \cdot w$. I don't see how the first first equality…
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Vector that is orthogonal to one vector in a plane, automatically the normal?

I'm trying to understand why if a vector is orthogonal to one vector in a plane, why it wouldn't be orthogonal to all vectors in that plane? Sketches/diagrams would be helpful.
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