True or False: Eigenvalues of a Real Matrix Are Real Numbers
Problem 67
Answer the following questions regarding eigenvalues of a real matrix.
(a) True or False. If each entry of an $n \times n$ matrix $A$ is a real number, then the eigenvalues of $A$ are all real numbers.
(b) Find the eigenvalues of the matrix
\[B=\begin{bmatrix}
-2 & -1\\
5& 2
\end{bmatrix}.\]
(The Ohio State University, Linear Algebra Exam)
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Contents
Hint.
Consider a $2\times 2$ matrix.
Then the eigenvalues are solutions of a quadratic polynomial.
Does a quadratic polynomial always have real solutions?
Solution.
(a) True or False. If each entry of an $n \times n$ matrix $A$ is a real number, then the eigenvalues of $A$ are all real numbers.
False. In general, a real matrix can have a complex number eigenvalue. In fact, the part (b) gives an example of such a matrix.
(b) Find the eigenvalues of the matrix
The characteristic polynomial for $B$ is
\[ \det(B-tI)=\begin{bmatrix}
-2-t & -1\\
5& 2-t
\end{bmatrix}=t^2+1.\]
The eigenvalues are the solutions of the characteristic polynomial. Thus solving $t^2+1=0$, we obtain eigenvalues $\pm i$, where $i=\sqrt{-1}$.
Thus the eigenvalue of a real matrix $B$ is pure imaginary numbers $\pm i$.
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