The Four Subspace Problem, miniaturised

Algebra Level 4

Consider a quadruple ( L 1 , L 2 , L 3 , L 4 ) (L_1,L_2,L_3,L_4) of four pairwise distinct lines through the origin in the x y xy -plane. Two such quadruples ( L k ) (L_k) and ( L k ) (L_k') are said to be isomorphic if there exists an invertible 2 × 2 2\times 2 matrix A A such that A L k = L k AL_k=L_k' for k = 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 k=1,2,3,4 . How many isomorphism classes of such quadruples are there?

This problem is part of a trilogy; see here and here .

None of the others 1 4 2 infinitely many

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1 solution

Otto Bretscher
Nov 27, 2018

For any real number k k other than 0 or 1, define the quadruple Q k = ( y = 0 , x = 0 , y = x , y = k x ) Q_k=(y=0,x=0,y=x,y=kx) . If A A defines an isomorphism from Q k Q_k to Q k Q_{k'} , then A A must be a scalar multiple of I 2 I_2 since L 1 , L 2 L_1,L_2 and L 3 L_3 are invariant under A A . Thus L 4 L_4 is invariant under A A as well. We can conclude that Q k Q_k is isomorphic to Q k Q_{k'} only if k = k k=k' , showing that there are infinitely many \boxed{\text{infinitely many}} isomorphism classes of quadruples (and in fact overcountably many).

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