TITLE: $P+Q-PQ$ is a projection if and only if $PQ=QP$.
QUESTION [10 upvotes]: Let $\mathcal H$ is a Hilbert space and $P,Q:\mathcal H \to \mathcal H$ are projections. I want to show that $P+Q-PQ$ is a projection if and only if $PQ=QP$. If $PQ=QP$ clearly $P+Q-PQ$ is a projection. But when $P+Q-PQ$ is a projection, how I can show that $PQ=QP$? I tried to use $$(P+Q-PQ)^2=P+Q-PQ$$ And I got: $$QP-QPQ-PQP+(PQ)^2=0$$ And from here: $$(Q-PQ)(P-PQ)=0$$ Can somebody give me a hint? Thanx in advance.

REPLY [4 votes]: To complement Math1000's answer, the path of working with the equality $(P+Q-PQ)^2=P+Q-PQ$ cannot lead to a proof (i.e., the argument does not work for idempotents alone). Let 
$$
P=\begin{bmatrix}1&1\\0&0\end{bmatrix},\ \ Q=\begin{bmatrix}1&0\\0&0\end{bmatrix}.
$$
Then $PQ=Q$, $QP=P$, and $$P+Q-PQ=P=(P+Q-PQ)^2.$$