Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2010/iii/paper-48/5/a/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2010 iii Paper 48 5 a Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
In the generalized measurement postulate, outcome is described by a Kraus operator , with . On a density operator its probability and conditional output, for nonzero probability, areFor a pure input the conditional vector is . The effects are positive and sum to the identity, defining a positive operator-valued measure.
More generally an outcome can have several Kraus operators . Then sum over in both the numerator and the probability, and require .
The usual projective measurement with the Lüders rule is recovered when the measurement operators are mutually orthogonal projections, , for , and . Projector-valued effects alone give projective outcome statistics; to obtain the Lüders state update as well, the instrument must implement , without an additional conditional state change.
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