Linear Subspaces Closed under Intersection
Theorem
Let $\left({V, +, \circ}\right)_K$ be a $K$-vector space.
Let $\left({M_i}\right)_{i \in I}$ be an $I$-indexed collection of subspaces of $V$.
Then $M := \displaystyle \bigcap_{i \in I} M_i$ is also a subspace of $V$.
Proof
It needs to be demonstrated that $M$ is:
- $(1): \quad$ a closed algebraic structure under $+$
- $(2): \quad$ closed for scalar product $\circ$.
So let $a, b \in M$.
By definition of intersection, $a, b \in M_i$ for all $i \in I$.
As the $M_i$ are subspaces of $V$, $a + b \in M_i$ for all $i \in I$.
That is, by definition of intersection, $a + b \in M$.
It follows that $M$ is closed under $+$.
Now let $\lambda \in K, a \in M$.
By definition of intersection, $a \in M_i$ for all $i \in I$.
As the $M_i$ are subspaces of $V$, $\lambda \circ a \in M_i$ for all $i \in I$.
That is, by definition of intersection, $\lambda \circ a \in M$.
It follows that $M$ is closed under $\circ$.
Hence the result, by definition of subspace.
$\blacksquare$