Let V be a vector space and U, W two finite-dimensional subspaces of V with the following spanning sets:
 
and
 
Finally, let  be linearly independent vectors so that
 be linearly independent vectors so that  and
 and  can be written as
 can be written as
 
and
 
Algorithm
The algorithm creates the following block matrix of size  :
:
 
Using elementary row operations, this matrix is transformed to the row echelon form. Then, it has the following shape:
 
Here,  stands for arbitrary numbers, and the vectors
 stands for arbitrary numbers, and the vectors   for every
 for every  and
 and  for every
 for every  are nonzero.
 are nonzero.
Then  with
 with
 
is a basis of  and
 and  with
 with
 
is a basis of  .
.
Proof of correctness
First, we define  to be the projection to the first component.
 to be the projection to the first component.
Let  Then
 Then  and
 and  .
.
Also,  is the kernel of
 is the kernel of  , the projection restricted to H. Therefore,
, the projection restricted to H. Therefore,  .
.
The Zassenhaus algorithm calculates a basis of H. In the first m columns of this matrix, there is a basis  of
 of  .
.
The rows of the form  (with
 (with  ) are obviously in
) are obviously in  . Because the matrix is in row echelon form, they are also linearly independent. All rows which are different from zero (
. Because the matrix is in row echelon form, they are also linearly independent. All rows which are different from zero ( and
 and  ) are a basis of H, so there are
) are a basis of H, so there are  such
 such  s. Therefore, the
s. Therefore, the  s form a basis of
s form a basis of  .
.