A Matrix Equation of a Symmetric Matrix and the Limit of its Solution

Problem 457

Let $A$ be a real symmetric $n\times n$ matrix with $0$ as a simple eigenvalue (that is, the algebraic multiplicity of the eigenvalue $0$ is $1$), and let us fix a vector $\mathbf{v}\in \R^n$.

(a) Prove that for sufficiently small positive real $\epsilon$, the equation
\[A\mathbf{x}+\epsilon\mathbf{x}=\mathbf{v}\] has a unique solution $\mathbf{x}=\mathbf{x}(\epsilon) \in \R^n$.

(b) Evaluate
\[\lim_{\epsilon \to 0^+} \epsilon \mathbf{x}(\epsilon)\] in terms of $\mathbf{v}$, the eigenvectors of $A$, and the inner product $\langle\, ,\,\rangle$ on $\R^n$.

 
(University of California, Berkeley, Linear Algebra Qualifying Exam)

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The Order of a Conjugacy Class Divides the Order of the Group

Problem 455

Let $G$ be a finite group.
The centralizer of an element $a$ of $G$ is defined to be
\[C_G(a)=\{g\in G \mid ga=ag\}.\]

A conjugacy class is a set of the form
\[\Cl(a)=\{bab^{-1} \mid b\in G\}\] for some $a\in G$.


(a) Prove that the centralizer of an element of $a$ in $G$ is a subgroup of the group $G$.

(b) Prove that the order (the number of elements) of every conjugacy class in $G$ divides the order of the group $G$.

 
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Differentiating Linear Transformation is Nilpotent

Problem 453

Let $P_n$ be the vector space of all polynomials with real coefficients of degree $n$ or less.
Consider the differentiation linear transformation $T: P_n\to P_n$ defined by
\[T\left(\, f(x) \,\right)=\frac{d}{dx}f(x).\]

(a) Consider the case $n=2$. Let $B=\{1, x, x^2\}$ be a basis of $P_2$. Find the matrix representation $A$ of the linear transformation $T$ with respect to the basis $B$.

(b) Compute $A^3$, where $A$ is the matrix obtained in part (a).

(c) If you computed $A^3$ in part (b) directly, then is there any theoretical explanation of your result?

(d) Now we consider the general case. Let $B$ be any basis of the vector space of $P_n$ and let $A$ be the matrix representation of the linear transformation $T$ with respect to the basis $B$.
Prove that without any calculation that the matrix $A$ is nilpotent.

 
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Eigenvalues of Similarity Transformations

Problem 452

Let $A$ be an $n\times n$ complex matrix.
Let $S$ be an invertible matrix.

(a) If $SAS^{-1}=\lambda A$ for some complex number $\lambda$, then prove that either $\lambda^n=1$ or $A$ is a singular matrix.

(b) If $n$ is odd and $SAS^{-1}=-A$, then prove that $0$ is an eigenvalue of $A$.

(c) Suppose that all the eigenvalues of $A$ are integers and $\det(A) > 0$. If $n$ is odd and $SAS^{-1}=A^{-1}$, then prove that $1$ is an eigenvalue of $A$.

 
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Null Space, Nullity, Range, Rank of a Projection Linear Transformation

Problem 450

Let $\mathbf{u}=\begin{bmatrix}
1 \\
1 \\
0
\end{bmatrix}$ and $T:\R^3 \to \R^3$ be the linear transformation
\[T(\mathbf{x})=\proj_{\mathbf{u}}\mathbf{x}=\left(\, \frac{\mathbf{u}\cdot \mathbf{x}}{\mathbf{u}\cdot \mathbf{u}} \,\right)\mathbf{u}.\]

(a) Calculate the null space $\calN(T)$, a basis for $\calN(T)$ and nullity of $T$.

(b) Only by using part (a) and no other calculations, find $\det(A)$, where $A$ is the matrix representation of $T$ with respect to the standard basis of $\R^3$.

(c) Calculate the range $\calR(T)$, a basis for $\calR(T)$ and the rank of $T$.

(d) Calculate the matrix $A$ representing $T$ with respect to the standard basis for $\R^3$.

(e) Let
\[B=\left\{\, \begin{bmatrix}
1 \\
0 \\
0
\end{bmatrix}, \begin{bmatrix}
-1 \\
1 \\
0
\end{bmatrix}, \begin{bmatrix}
0 \\
-1 \\
1
\end{bmatrix} \,\right\}\] be a basis for $\R^3$.
Calculate the coordinates of $\begin{bmatrix}
x \\
y \\
z
\end{bmatrix}$ with respect to $B$.

(The Ohio State University, Linear Algebra Exam Problem)

 
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Injective Group Homomorphism that does not have Inverse Homomorphism

Problem 443

Let $A=B=\Z$ be the additive group of integers.
Define a map $\phi: A\to B$ by sending $n$ to $2n$ for any integer $n\in A$.

(a) Prove that $\phi$ is a group homomorphism.

(b) Prove that $\phi$ is injective.

(c) Prove that there does not exist a group homomorphism $\psi:B \to A$ such that $\psi \circ \phi=\id_A$.

 
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Solve the System of Linear Equations Using the Inverse Matrix of the Coefficient Matrix

Problem 442

Consider the following system of linear equations
\begin{align*}
2x+3y+z&=-1\\
3x+3y+z&=1\\
2x+4y+z&=-2.
\end{align*}

(a) Find the coefficient matrix $A$ for this system.

(b) Find the inverse matrix of the coefficient matrix found in (a)

(c) Solve the system using the inverse matrix $A^{-1}$.

 
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