Let Mn,n denote the vector space over F=R or C of n×n matrices with entries in F. Let Tr:Mn,n→F denote the trace functional, i.e., if A=(aij)1⩽i,j⩽n∈Mn,n, then
Tr(A)=i=1∑naii
(a) Show that Tr is a linear functional.
(b) Show that Tr(AB)=Tr(BA) for A,B∈Mn,n.
(c) Show that Tr is unique in the following sense: If f:Mn,n→F is a linear functional such that f(AB)=f(BA) for each A,B∈Mn,n, then f is a scalar multiple of the trace functional. If, in addition, f(I)=n, then f= Tr.
(d) Let W⊆Mn,n be the subspace spanned by matrices C of the form C=AB−BA for A,B∈Mn,n. Show that W is the kernel of Tr.