# Math Help - Proof Probem

1. ## Proof Probem

Problem: Suppose that po, p1, ...., pm are polynomials in Pm(F) such that pj(2)=0 for every j. Prove that (p0, p1, ...., pm) is not linearly independent in Pm(F).

Not really sure where to start with this one guys. Any help would be much appreciated. THANKS.

2. Originally Posted by eg37se
Problem: Suppose that po, p1, ...., pm are polynomials in Pm(F) such that pj(2)=0 for every j. Prove that (p0, p1, ...., pm) is not linearly independent in Pm(F).

Not really sure where to start with this one guys. Any help would be much appreciated. THANKS.
let $p_i(x)=a_{i0} + a_{i1}x + \cdots + a_{im}x^m, \ \ 0 \leq i \leq m.$ let $A=\begin{pmatrix}a_{00} & a_{01} & . & . & . & a_{0m} \\ a_{10} & a_{11} & . & . & . & a_{1m} \\ . & . & . & . & . & . \\ . & . & . & . & . & . \\ . & . & . & . & . & . \\ a_{m0} & a_{m1} & . & . & . & a_{mm} \end{pmatrix}$ and $X=\begin{pmatrix}1 \\ 2 \\ . \\ . \\ . \\ 2^m \end{pmatrix}.$ then $AX=\bold{0}$ and so $\det A^T=\det A =0.$ thus the columns of $A^T$ and hence the rows
of $A$ are linearly dependent, i.e. there exist scalars $c_0, \cdots , c_m \in F,$ which are not all 0, such that $c_0R_1 + c_2R_2 + \cdots + c_mR_{m+1}=\bold{0},$ where $R_i$ is the $i$-th row of $A.$ this result is now equivalent

to what we're looking for: $c_0p_0(x) + c_1p_1(x) + \cdots + c_mp_m(x)=0.$

3. I believe you that that works, but those are concepts we unfortunately have not covered yet. Therefore, I think I am going to try to use the Linear Dependence Lemma in my book which states that, (v1,...,vm) is linear dependent provided that:

vj is an element of span (v1, ...., v(j-1))

and

if the jth term is removed from v1,..., vn the span of the remaining list equals span (v1,...., vn)

Let me know if this looks like it could work. Thanks.

4. Consider the set $S=\{p(x) \in P_m[x]\: : \: p(2)=0\}$. Clearly this is a subspace of $P_m[x]$, and every $p(x) \in S$ can be written as $(x-2)g(x)$. Consider the map

$T : S \rightarrow P_{m-1}[x]$

$(x-2)g(x) \mapsto g(x)$

This is a surjective (i.e. onto) linear transformation, because to every $g(x) \in P_{m-1}[x]$, we have $T((x-2)g(x))=g(x)$. Moreover it is injective (i.e. one-to-one) because the inverse image of the zero polynomial is just the zero polynomial (check this). Hence $\mbox{dim }S = m$.

It follows that since you have $m+1$ elements of $S$ in your list, they cannot be linearly independent.