1
$\begingroup$

Let $ W, W_1, W_2,W_3,\ldots,W_n$ be $n+1$ subspaces of a vector space $V$. Show that if $W \subset W_1 \cup W_2 \cup W_3 \cup \cdots\cup W_n$, then $W$ is contained in one of $W_1, W_2,W_3,\ldots,W_n$.

I am lost as to how to go about proving this. Any help would be much appreciated.

  • 1
    As stated, it's trivially true: $W$ is always contained in $W$.2017-01-29
  • 0
    Didn't see that :D2017-01-29
  • 0
    That was a typo. Sorry2017-01-29
  • 0
    Over a finite field it's not true.2017-01-29
  • 0
    @Litho can you provide a counterexample?2017-01-29
  • 3
    Vector space over what? If over an arbitrary field, then the result is false: if $F$ is the two element field, then $F^2$ is the (finite) union of its proper subspaces.2017-01-29
  • 1
    @AlexMathers Any vector space of finite dimension >1 over a finite field has a finite number of elements, so it can be represented as a finite union of its 1-dimensional proper subspaces.2017-01-29

0 Answers 0