On the notion of a basis of a finite dimensional vector space

Abstract

In this Note we show that the notion of a basis of a finite-dimensional vector space could be introduced by an argument much weaker than Gauss' reduction method. Our aim is to give a short proof of a simply formulated lemma, which in fact is equivalent to the theorem on frame extension, using only a simple notion of the kernel of a linear mapping, without any reference to special results, and derive the notions of basis and dimension in a quite intuitive and logically appropriate way, as well as obtain their basic properties, including a lucid proof of Steinitz's theorem.