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Define a linear transformation T: P_2 to (R^2) by T(p) = p(0). Find polynomials (p_1) and (p_2) in (P_2) that span the kernel of (T), and describe the range of (T).

a) (p_1(x) = 1, p_2(x) = x, Range of T = (R^2)
b) (p_1(x) = 1, p_2(x) = x^2, Range of T = (R^2)
c) (p_1(x) = 1, p_2(x) = x, Range of T = (R)
d) (p_1(x) = 1, p_2(x) = x^2, Range of T = (R)

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Final answer:

To find polynomials that span the kernel of the transformation T(p) = p(0), we need polynomials that evaluate to zero at x=0; p_1(x) = x and p_2(x) = x^2 span the kernel. The range of T is all real numbers R, as it includes the evaluation of any polynomial at x=0.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student's question involves defining a linear transformation T from the space P_2 of all polynomials of degree at most 2 to the Euclidean space R^2, where the transformation T is defined by T(p) = p(0). To find polynomials that span the kernel of T, we look for polynomials p such that T(p) = 0. Since T(p) evaluates polynomials at x = 0, any polynomial in the kernel must have a zero constant term. So, the polynomials p_1(x) = x and p_2(x) = x^2 would both evaluate to zero at x = 0 and thus are in the kernel of T. The range of T is simply the set of all possible outputs, which, since T evaluates polynomials at x = 0, is R (the real numbers). Therefore, the correct option is d) (p_1(x) = x, p_2(x) = x^2, Range of T = (R)).

User Drew Nichols
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