# The Gram Schmidt Process for Orthonormal Basis

## The Gram Schmidt Process and Formulas

The Gram Schmidt process is used to produce an Orthonormal Basis for a subspace.
Given a basis $A = \{ \textbf {x}_1, \textbf{x}_2, ... , \textbf{x}_n \}$ for subspace $V$, the basis $B = \{ \textbf {y}_1, \textbf{y}_2, ... , \textbf{y}_n \}$ where
$\textbf {y}_1 = \textbf {x}_1$
$\textbf {y}_2 = \textbf {x}_2 - \dfrac{\textbf {x}_2 \cdot \textbf {y}_1}{\textbf {y}_1 \cdot \textbf {y}_1} \textbf {y}_1$
$\textbf {y}_3 = \textbf {x}_3 - \dfrac{\textbf {x}_3 \cdot \textbf {y}_1}{\textbf {y}_1 \cdot \textbf {y}_1} \textbf {y}_1 - \dfrac{\textbf {x}_3 \cdot \textbf {y}_2}{\textbf {y}_2 \cdot \textbf {y}_2} \textbf {y}_2$
. . .
$\textbf {y}_n = \textbf {x}_n - \dfrac{\textbf {x}_n \cdot \textbf {y}_1}{\textbf {y}_1 \cdot \textbf {y}_1}\textbf {y}_1 - \dfrac{\textbf {x}_n \cdot \textbf {y}_2}{\textbf {y}_2 \cdot \textbf {y}_2} \textbf {y}_2 - ... - \dfrac{\textbf {x}_n \cdot \textbf {y}_{n-1}}{\textbf {y}_{n-1} \cdot \textbf {y}_{n-1}} \textbf {y}_{n-1}$
is an orthogonal basis for the subspace $V$.
span $\{ \textbf {x}_1, \textbf{x}_2, ... , \textbf{x}_n \}$ = span $\{ \textbf {y}_1, \textbf{y}_2, ... , \textbf{y}_n \}$
The orthonormal basis $Y_O$ is obtained by dividing each vector in the basis $Y$ by its norm.

## Examples with Solutions

Example 1
Subspace $V$ is defined by span$\{\textbf{v}_1 , \textbf{v}_2 \}$ where $\textbf{v}_1$ and $\textbf{v}_2$ are column vectors given by
$\textbf{v}_1 = \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 2 \\ 0 \end{bmatrix}$ and $\textbf{v}_2 = \begin{bmatrix} -2 \\ -4 \\ -4 \end{bmatrix}$
Use the Gram Schmidt process defined above to determine an orthonormal basis $Y_O$ for $V$

Solution to Example 1
Let $Y = \{ \textbf{y}_1 , \textbf{y}_2 \}$ be the orthogonal basis to determine. According to the fomrmulas above, we write
$\textbf {y}_1 = \textbf {v}_1 = \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 2 \\ 0 \end{bmatrix}$

$\textbf {y}_2 = \textbf {v}_2 - \dfrac{\textbf {v}_2 \cdot \textbf {y}_1}{\textbf {y}_1 \cdot \textbf {y}_1} \textbf {y}_1$
Evaluate the inner product in the numerator and denominator
$\dfrac{\textbf {v}_2 \cdot \textbf {y}_1}{\textbf {y}_1 \cdot \textbf {y}_1} = \dfrac{\begin{bmatrix} -2 \\ -4 \\ -4 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 2 \\ 0 \end{bmatrix} }{ \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 2 \\ 0 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 2 \\ 0 \end{bmatrix} } = \dfrac{-10}{5} = -2$
Substitute the above and evaluate $\textbf {y}_2$
$\textbf {y}_2 = \begin{bmatrix} -2 \\ -4 \\ -4 \end{bmatrix} - (-2) \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 2 \\ 0 \end{bmatrix} = \begin{bmatrix} 0\\ 0 \\ -4 \end{bmatrix}$

Hence $Y = \left \{\begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 2 \\ 0 \end{bmatrix} , \begin{bmatrix} 0\\ 0 \\ -4 \end{bmatrix} \right \}$
The orthonormal basis $Y_O$ is obtained by dividing each vector in the basis $Y$ by its norm.
$Y_O = \left \{ \dfrac{1}{\sqrt 3}\begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 2 \\ 0 \end{bmatrix} , \dfrac{1}{4} \begin{bmatrix} 0\\ 0 \\ -4 \end{bmatrix} \right \}$

Note that
1) $Y = \{ \textbf {y}_1 , \textbf {y}_2 \}$ is a basis for $V$ because it is a linear combination of $\textbf {v}_1$ and $\textbf {v}_2$.
We know that $y_1 = v_1$ and it can easily be shown that $y_2 = 2 v_1 + v_2$
Hence span $\{ \textbf {v}_1, \textbf{v}_2 \}$ = span $\{ \textbf {y}_1, \textbf{y}_2 \}$
2) the inner product of $\textbf {y}_1$ and $\textbf {y}_2$ given by $\begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 2 \\ 0 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} 0\\ 0 \\ -4 \end{bmatrix} = 0$ means that $\textbf {y}_1$ and $\textbf {y}_2$ are orthogonal and hence $Y$ is an orthogonal basis for $V$

Example 2
Subspace $V$ is defined by span$\{\textbf{v}_1 , \textbf{v}_2 , \textbf{v}_3 , \textbf{v}_4\}$ where
$\textbf{v}_1 = \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix}$ , $\textbf{v}_2 = \begin{bmatrix} 1 \\ 1 \\ 1\\ 1\\ 0 \end{bmatrix}$ , $\textbf{v}_3 = \begin{bmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ -1\\ -1\\ 0 \end{bmatrix}$ , $\textbf{v}_4 = \begin{bmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ 0\\ 1\\ 1 \end{bmatrix}$
Use the Gram Schmidt process defined above to determine an
orthonormal basis $Y_O$ for $V$

Solution to Example 2
Let $Y = \{\textbf{y}_1,\textbf{y}_2,\textbf{y}_3,\textbf{y}_4\}$ be the
orthogonal basis to determine. Using the fomrmulas above, we write
$\textbf {y}_1 = \textbf {v}_1 = \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix}$

$\textbf {y}_2 = \textbf {v}_2 - \dfrac{\textbf {v}_2 \cdot \textbf {y}_1}{\textbf {y}_1 \cdot \textbf {y}_1} \textbf {y}_1$
Evaluate the inner product in the numerator and denominator
$\dfrac{\textbf {v}_2 \cdot \textbf {y}_1}{\textbf {y}_1 \cdot \textbf {y}_1} = \dfrac{\begin{bmatrix} 1 \\ 1 \\ 1\\ 1\\ 0 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} }{ \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} } = \dfrac{2}{19}$
Substitute the above and evaluate $\textbf {y}_2$
$\textbf {y}_2 = \begin{bmatrix} 1 \\ 1 \\ 1\\ 1\\ 0 \end{bmatrix} - \dfrac{2}{19} \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} = \begin{bmatrix} \frac{21}{19}\\ \frac{21}{19}\\ \frac{15}{19}\\ \frac{15}{19}\\ -\frac{6}{19}\end{bmatrix}$
Note that if we mutliply $\textbf{y}_2$ by any number not equal to zero, it would not change the basis. Hence multiply $\textbf{y}_2$ by $\dfrac{19}{3}$ and simplify to
$\textbf{y'}_2 = \dfrac{19}{3} \begin{bmatrix} \frac{21}{19}\\ \frac{21}{19}\\ \frac{15}{19}\\ \frac{15}{19}\\ -\frac{6}{19}\end{bmatrix} = \begin{bmatrix} 7\\ 7\\ 5\\ 5\\ -2 \end{bmatrix}$
We now use vector $\textbf {y'}_2$ instead of $\textbf {y}_2$ in the formulas for $\textbf {y}_3$.

$\textbf {y}_3 = \textbf {v}_3 - \dfrac{\textbf {v}_3 \cdot \textbf {y}_1}{\textbf {y}_1 \cdot \textbf {y}_1} \textbf {y}_1 - \dfrac{\textbf {v}_3 \cdot \textbf {y'}_2}{\textbf {y'}_2 \cdot \textbf {y'}_2} \textbf {y'}_2$
Substitute
$\textbf {y}_3 = \begin{bmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ -1\\ -1\\ 0 \end{bmatrix} - \dfrac{\begin{bmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ -1\\ -1\\ 0 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} }{\begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} } \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix}$

$- \dfrac{\begin{bmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ -1\\ -1\\ 0 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} 7\\ 7\\ 5\\ 5\\ -2 \end{bmatrix} }{\begin{bmatrix} 7\\ 7\\ 5\\ 5\\ -2 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} 7\\ 7\\ 5\\ 5\\ -2 \end{bmatrix} } \begin{bmatrix} 7\\ 7\\ 5\\ 5\\ -2 \end{bmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix}\frac{1}{4}\\ \frac{1}{4}\\ -\frac{1}{4}\\ -\frac{1}{4}\\ \frac{1}{2}\end{pmatrix}$

Multiply $\textbf {y}_3$ by 4 to replace it by a vector without fractions.
$\textbf {y'}_3 = 4 \textbf {y}_3 = \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 1 \\ -1 \\ -1\\ 2 \end{bmatrix}$

Use $\textbf {y'}_3$ instead of $\textbf {y}_3$ in the formulas

$\textbf {y}_4 = \textbf {v}_4 - \dfrac{\textbf {v}_4 \cdot \textbf {y}_1}{\textbf {y}_1 \cdot \textbf {y}_1} \textbf {y}_1 - \dfrac{\textbf {v}_4 \cdot \textbf {y'}_2}{\textbf {y'}_2 \cdot \textbf {y'}_2} \textbf {y'}_2 - \dfrac{\textbf {v}_4\cdot \textbf {y'}_3}{\textbf {y'}_3 \cdot \textbf {y'}_3} \textbf {y'}_3$

Substitute
$\textbf {y}_4 = \begin{bmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ 0\\ 1\\ 1 \end{bmatrix} - \dfrac{\begin{bmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ 0\\ 1\\ 1 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix}}{\begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix}} \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix}$

- $\dfrac{\begin{bmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ 0\\ 1\\ 1 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} 7\\ 7\\ 5\\ 5\\ -2 \end{bmatrix}}{\begin{bmatrix} 7\\ 7\\ 5\\ 5\\ -2 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} 7\\ 7\\ 5\\ 5\\ -2 \end{bmatrix}} \begin{bmatrix} 7\\ 7\\ 5\\ 5\\ -2 \end{bmatrix} \\ \quad \quad - \dfrac{\begin{bmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ 0\\ 1\\ 1 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 1 \\ -1 \\ -1\\ 2 \end{bmatrix}}{\begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 1 \\ -1 \\ -1\\ 2 \end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 1 \\ -1 \\ -1\\ 2 \end{bmatrix}} \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 1 \\ -1 \\ -1\\ 2 \end{bmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix}0\\ 0\\ -\frac{1}{2}\\ \frac{1}{2}\\ 0\end{pmatrix}$
Multiply $\textbf {y}_4$ by 2 to obtain
$\textbf {y'}_4 = 2 \textbf {y}_4 = \begin{bmatrix} 0\\ 0\\ -1 \\ 1\\ 0 \end{bmatrix}$
Hence an
orthogonal basis for the subset $V$ may be written as
$Y = \left \{ \textbf {y}_1 , \textbf {y'}_2 , \textbf {y'}_3 , \textbf {y'}_4 \right \} = \left \{ \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} , \begin{bmatrix} 7\\ 7\\ 5\\ 5\\ -2 \end{bmatrix} , \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 1 \\ -1 \\ -1\\ 2 \end{bmatrix} , \begin{bmatrix} 0\\ 0\\ -1 \\ 1\\ 0 \end{bmatrix} \right \}$
The
orthonormal basis $Y_O$ is obtained by dividing each vector in the basis $Y$ by its norm.
$Y_O = \left \{ \dfrac{1}{\sqrt {19}} \begin{bmatrix} -1\\ -1 \\ 2 \\ 2\\ 3 \end{bmatrix} , \dfrac{1}{2\sqrt{38}} \begin{bmatrix} 7\\ 7\\ 5\\ 5\\ -2 \end{bmatrix} , \dfrac{1}{2\sqrt{2}} \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 1 \\ -1 \\ -1\\ 2 \end{bmatrix} , \dfrac{1}{\sqrt{2}} \begin{bmatrix} 0\\ 0\\ -1 \\ 1\\ 0 \end{bmatrix} \right \}$

To check that the basis $Y$ obtained span that same subspace as the given basis $V$, we row reduce the matrix
$\begin{bmatrix} V | Y \end{bmatrix} = \begin{bmatrix}-1&1&0&0&-1&7&1&0\\ \:\:\:-1&1&0&0&-1&7&1&0\\ \:\:\:2&1&-1&0&2&5&-1&-1\\ \:\:\:2&1&-1&1&2&5&-1&1\\ \:\:\:3&0&0&1&3&-1&2&0\end{bmatrix}$
to obtain
$\begin{bmatrix}1&0&0&0&1&-\frac{1}{3}&\frac{2}{3}&-\frac{2}{3}\\ 0&1&0&0&0&\frac{20}{3}&\frac{5}{3}&-\frac{2}{3}\\ 0&0&1&0&0&1&4&-1\\ 0&0&0&1&0&0&0&2\\ 0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0\end{bmatrix}$
and conlude from the above that
$y_1 = v_1$
$y_2 = - \dfrac {1}{3} v_1 + \dfrac{20}{3} v_2 + v_3$
$y_3 = \dfrac {2}{3} v_1 + \dfrac{5}{3} v_2 + 4 v_3$
$y_4 = - \dfrac {2}{3} v_1 - \dfrac{2}{3} v_2 - v_3 + 2 v_4$
The above results show that span $\{ \textbf {v}_1, \textbf{v}_2,\textbf{v}_3 ,\textbf{v}_4 \}$ = span $\{ \textbf {y}_1, \textbf{y}_2, \textbf{y}_3 , \textbf{y}_3 \}$
Using the inner product, it can easily be shown that $Y$ is an orthogonal basis.