Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2019 / ib / Paper 2 / 1F (Linear Algebra)

Let $r=dim(U\cap W)$. Choose a basis $e_1,\dots ,e_r$ of the intersection of vector subspaces, extend it to a basis $e_1,\dots ,e_r,u_{r+1},\dots ,u_m$ of $U$, and independently extend it to a basis $e_1,\dots ,e_r,w_{r+1},\dots ,w_n$ of $W$. The combined listspans the sum of vector subspaces $U+W$. It is also linearly independent: a vanishing linear combination says that a combination of the $u_i$ belongs to $U\cap W$, and its expression in the chosen basis of $U$ forces all its coefficients to vanish; the coefficients of the $w_i$ then vanish in the same way. This proves the dimension formula for a sum of subspaces

Parametrize the two linear subspaces asPutting a vector of $U$ in $W$ first forces its fourth coordinate to vanish; the remaining defining equation is then automatic. Thusand the dimension formula gives $\dim (U+W)=2+2-1=3$.

The linear functionalvanishes on each displayed generator of $U$ and $W$. Its kernel is three-dimensional because $\ell \ne 0$, so the inclusion $U+W\subseteq \ker \ell$ between two three-dimensional subspaces is equality.