Paper 3, Section II, G

Linear Algebra
Part IB, 2014

Let qq be a nonsingular quadratic form on a finite-dimensional real vector space VV. Prove that we may write V=PNV=P \bigoplus N, where the restriction of qq to PP is positive definite, the restriction of qq to NN is negative definite, and q(x+y)=q(x)+q(y)q(x+y)=q(x)+q(y) for all xPx \in P and yNy \in N. [No result on diagonalisability may be assumed.]

Show that the dimensions of PP and NN are independent of the choice of PP and NN. Give an example to show that PP and NN are not themselves uniquely defined.

Find such a decomposition V=PNV=P \bigoplus N when V=R3V=\mathbb{R}^{3} and qq is the quadratic form q((x,y,z))=x2+2y22xy2xzq((x, y, z))=x^{2}+2 y^{2}-2 x y-2 x z