Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2008/iii/paper-75/6/1/b/solution

The dual vectors are the Riesz dual basis in an inner product space, and lie in itself. Take the convention that the inner product is conjugate-linear in its first argument; in a real space the conjugations can simply be omitted. Since the form a basis, their Gram matrix is positive definite and invertible. Let and put
The proposed vectors satisfy
They therefore give the unique dual family within . Their own Gram matrix is
The inverse of a Hermitian positive-definite matrix is Hermitian, so . Using gives . Consequently
For a real space this is the familiar identity . If the opposite complex inner-product convention is adopted, conjugate the coefficients in the dual-vector formula; the stated identity remains the same. Requiring the dual vectors to lie in is essential: arbitrary additions perpendicular to preserve the pairings with but alter the Gram matrix of the dual vectors.

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