In the field of mathematics known as functional analysis, the invariant subspace problem for a complex Banach space H of dimension > 1 is the question whether every bounded linear operator T : H → H has a non-trivial closed T-invariant subspace (a closed linear subspace W of H which is different from {0} and H such that T(W) ⊆ W).
To find a "counterexample" to the invariant subspace problem, means to answer affirmatively the following equivalent question: does there exist a bounded linear operator T : H → H such that for every non-zero vector x, the vector space generated by the sequence {T n(x) : n ≥ 0} is norm dense in H? Such operators are called cyclic.
For the most important case of Hilbert spaces H this is still open (as of 2010), though Per Enflo showed that the invariant subspace problem is false for some Banach spaces.
Read more about Invariant Subspace Problem: Known Special Cases
Famous quotes containing the word problem:
“Most childhood problems don’t result from “bad” parenting, but are the inevitable result of the growing that parents and children do together. The point isn’t to head off these problems or find ways around them, but rather to work through them together and in doing so to develop a relationship of mutual trust to rely on when the next problem comes along.”
—Fred Rogers (20th century)