Tagged: diagonal matrix

Two Matrices with the Same Characteristic Polynomial. Diagonalize if Possible.

Problem 216

Let
\[A=\begin{bmatrix}
1 & 3 & 3 \\
-3 &-5 &-3 \\
3 & 3 & 1
\end{bmatrix} \text{ and } B=\begin{bmatrix}
2 & 4 & 3 \\
-4 &-6 &-3 \\
3 & 3 & 1
\end{bmatrix}.\] For this problem, you may use the fact that both matrices have the same characteristic polynomial:
\[p_A(\lambda)=p_B(\lambda)=-(\lambda-1)(\lambda+2)^2.\]

(a) Find all eigenvectors of $A$.

(b) Find all eigenvectors of $B$.

(c) Which matrix $A$ or $B$ is diagonalizable?

(d) Diagonalize the matrix stated in (c), i.e., find an invertible matrix $P$ and a diagonal matrix $D$ such that $A=PDP^{-1}$ or $B=PDP^{-1}$.

(Stanford University Linear Algebra Final Exam Problem)
 
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How to Diagonalize a Matrix. Step by Step Explanation.

Problem 211

In this post, we explain how to diagonalize a matrix if it is diagonalizable.

As an example, we solve the following problem.

Diagonalize the matrix
\[A=\begin{bmatrix}
4 & -3 & -3 \\
3 &-2 &-3 \\
-1 & 1 & 2
\end{bmatrix}\] by finding a nonsingular matrix $S$ and a diagonal matrix $D$ such that $S^{-1}AS=D$.

(Update 10/15/2017. A new example problem was added.)
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The Vector Space Consisting of All Traceless Diagonal Matrices

Problem 79

Let $V$ be the set of all $n \times n$ diagonal matrices whose traces are zero.
That is,

\begin{equation*}
V:=\left\{ A=\begin{bmatrix}
a_{11} & 0 & \dots & 0 \\
0 &a_{22} & \dots & 0 \\
0 & 0 & \ddots & \vdots \\
0 & 0 & \dots & a_{nn}
\end{bmatrix} \quad \middle| \quad
\begin{array}{l}
a_{11}, \dots, a_{nn} \in \C,\\
\tr(A)=0 \\
\end{array}
\right\}
\end{equation*}

Let $E_{ij}$ denote the $n \times n$ matrix whose $(i,j)$-entry is $1$ and zero elsewhere.

(a) Show that $V$ is a subspace of the vector space $M_n$ over $\C$ of all $n\times n$ matrices. (You may assume without a proof that $M_n$ is a vector space.)

(b) Show that matrices
\[E_{11}-E_{22}, \, E_{22}-E_{33}, \, \dots,\, E_{n-1\, n-1}-E_{nn}\] are a basis for the vector space $V$.

(c) Find the dimension of $V$.
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The Subspace of Matrices that are Diagonalized by a Fixed Matrix

Problem 33

Suppose that $S$ is a fixed invertible $3$ by $3$ matrix. This question is about all the matrices $A$ that are diagonalized by $S$, so that $S^{-1}AS$ is diagonal. Show that these matrices $A$ form a subspace of $3$ by $3$ matrix space.

(MIT-Massachusetts Institute of Technology Exam)

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Finite Order Matrix and its Trace

Problem 28

Let $A$ be an $n\times n$ matrix and suppose that $A^r=I_n$ for some positive integer $r$. Then show that

(a) $|\tr(A)|\leq n$.

(b) If $|\tr(A)|=n$, then $A=\zeta I_n$ for an $r$-th root of unity $\zeta$.

(c) $\tr(A)=n$ if and only if $A=I_n$.

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