[Math] Finding orthonormal basis for a subspace $W$ of the Euclidean space $\mathbb{R}^3$.

inner-productslinear algebravector-spaces

Problem: Let $\mathbb{R}^3$ be an Euclidean space. Find an orthonormal basis for the subspace $W$ defined as $x + 2y-z = 0$.

Attempt at solution: So this is a plane in $\mathbb{R}^3$, so I guess I would need two vectors to span this? I did the following. Pick two arbitrary vectors that lie in this plane, for example $w_1 = (1,1,3)$ and $w_2 = (1,0,1)$. Then should I apply the Gram-Schmidt process to these?

That would get me: \begin{align*} v_1 &= w_1 \\ v_2 &= w_2 – \frac{\langle w_2, v_1 \rangle}{\langle v_1, v_1} v_1 \end{align*} Then we would have $v_1 = (1,1,3)$ and $v_2 = (7/11, -4/11, -1/11)$. Now I should normalize these and I'm done?

Best Answer

You need two arbitrary linearly independent vectors that lie in the plane. You chose two such vectors, so you've done fine there. You could systematically find such a set in the usual way that you would find the kernel to a linear transformation (i.e. setting "free variables" to certain values etc.).

And yes, everything else that you've done is perfect. Just normalize the vectors and you're all set!