Quotient space projection

linear algebraquotient-spacesvector-space-isomorphism

Let $U\subset\Bbb R^2$ be a line through the origin. Describe the quotient space $\Bbb R^2/U$.

Then let $V\subset \Bbb R^2$ be a different line that goes through the origin. Consider the projection $$\pi:\Bbb R^2\rightarrow \Bbb R^2/U$$ on the subspace $V\subset \Bbb R^2$

$$\rho:=\pi_{|V}:V\rightarrow \Bbb R^2/U, v\mapsto {v}$$

Show that $\rho$ is isomorphic. And determine the dimension of $\Bbb R^2/U$

So the quotient space $\Bbb R^2/U$ are all vectors that are parallel to U. I got that one..As to the second part, can someone tell me what $\rho:=\pi_{|V}$ means? I mean if I assumed correctly, $\rho$ is a function or linear transformation that maps all vectors in V to the quotient space. So for it to be an isomorphism, it needs to be homomorphic and bijective.

Since it's a vector space, it's obviously linear, so homomorphic. As for bijectivity, any vector in $\Bbb R^2$, according to the definition of quotient $V/U:=\{a+U;a\in V$} if we have $(a+U=b+U)$ where $a=b$ then the resulting vector on that line is the same. Surjectivity is also quite obvious,,, but i don't know how to put all this into proof…Can someone give me a hint?

As for dimension, that i know. $dim(\Bbb R^2/U)=1$ because $\Bbb R^2$ has dim 2, no doubt there, and a line has dim 1, that's also obvious.

Best Answer

$\rho=\pi|_V$ means $\rho$ is the restriction of $\pi$ to $V$.

$\pi$ is onto. So any element $y$ of $\mathbb R^{2}/U$ is $\pi (x)$ for some $x$. Now since $U$ and $V$ are two different lines it follows that $U+V$ is two-dimensional, and hence $U+V=\mathbb R^{2}$. Thus, we can write $x=x_1+x_2$ with $x_1 \in U$ and $x_2 \in V$. Now $y=\pi (x)=\pi(x_1)+\pi (x_2)=0+\pi (x_2)$. But $\pi(x_2)=\rho (x_2)$. This proves that $y =\rho (x_2)$ and we have proved that $\rho$ is surjective.

Injectivity: $x \in V, \rho (x)=0$ impies $\pi (x)=0$ which implies $x \in U$. But $x \in V$ also so $x=0$.