Tagged: rotation

Rotation Matrix in the Plane and its Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors

Problem 550

Consider the $2\times 2$ matrix
\[A=\begin{bmatrix}
\cos \theta & -\sin \theta\\
\sin \theta& \cos \theta \end{bmatrix},\] where $\theta$ is a real number $0\leq \theta < 2\pi$.

 

(a) Find the characteristic polynomial of the matrix $A$.

(b) Find the eigenvalues of the matrix $A$.

(c) Determine the eigenvectors corresponding to each of the eigenvalues of $A$.

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Dihedral Group and Rotation of the Plane

Problem 52

Let $n$ be a positive integer. Let $D_{2n}$ be the dihedral group of order $2n$. Using the generators and the relations, the dihedral group $D_{2n}$ is given by
\[D_{2n}=\langle r,s \mid r^n=s^2=1, sr=r^{-1}s\rangle.\] Put $\theta=2 \pi/n$.


(a) Prove that the matrix $\begin{bmatrix}
\cos \theta & -\sin \theta\\
\sin \theta& \cos \theta
\end{bmatrix}$ is the matrix representation of the linear transformation $T$ which rotates the $x$-$y$ plane about the origin in a counterclockwise direction by $\theta$ radians.


(b) Let $\GL_2(\R)$ be the group of all $2 \times 2$ invertible matrices with real entries. Show that the map $\rho: D_{2n} \to \GL_2(\R)$ defined on the generators by
\[ \rho(r)=\begin{bmatrix}
\cos \theta & -\sin \theta\\
\sin \theta& \cos \theta
\end{bmatrix} \text{ and }
\rho(s)=\begin{bmatrix}
0 & 1\\
1& 0
\end{bmatrix}\] extends to a homomorphism of $D_{2n}$ into $\GL_2(\R)$.


(c) Determine whether the homomorphism $\rho$ in part (b) is injective and/or surjective.

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