# Why question received negative feedback [duplicate]

I am currently using Linear Algebra Done Right by Sheldon Axler to self-study linear algebra in my free time. I'm not a student, I work full-time. I posted a question asking for help on Chapter 3 Exercise 4. I spend almost 2 hours working on it and couldn't figure it out. The question was down-voted twice, and put on hold because "it isn't clear what you are asking".

I think people are upset because I just posted the question directly from the textbook without showing my own work or clarifying further. But the fact is I got an answer to this question, and the answer was extremely helpful in my self-study of this textbook. It's not like I am trying to take shortcuts, I am not even enrolled in a class. Is it unacceptable to ask for help on a problem from a textbook that I am completely baffled on?

• Have you explicitly written down what the question is? – Fan Aug 30 '17 at 16:52
• Your first version of the question was a bit unclear, because you didn't properly define $V$ and $F$ (as a comment pointed out). I would have voted to close as off-topic because it didn't indicate any of your own thoughts or efforts - you say you spent two hours on it, but didn't indicate any of your own background, related results you know, what you tried and what didn't work. "Completely baffled" doesn't mean that you can't at least post some thoughts about it. – user296602 Aug 30 '17 at 16:53
• Also, question for context. – user296602 Aug 30 '17 at 16:53