Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors of Symmetric Matrices

Help Questions

Linear Algebra › Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors of Symmetric Matrices

Questions 1 - 10
1

Explanation

2

Explanation

3

Explanation

4

Give the set of eigenvalues of in terms of , if applicable.

The eigenvalues are 0 and .

The eigenvalues are 0 and .

The eigenvalues are and .

The only eigenvalue is .

The only eigenvalue is 0.

Explanation

An eigenvalue of is a zero of the characteristic equation formed from the determinant of , so find this determinant as follows:

Subtracting elementwise:

Set the determinant to 0 and solve for :

The determinant can be found by taking the upper-left-to-lower-right product and subtracting the upper-right-to-lower-left product:

,

so the eigenvalues of this matrix are 0 and .

5

,

where is a real number.

For to have two real eigenvalues, what must be true for ?

can be any real number.

or

or

Explanation

Any real value of makes a symmetric matrix with real entries. It holds that any eigenvalues of must be real regardless of the value of .

6

Explanation

7

Explanation

8

Explanation

9

Explanation

10

Explanation

Page 1 of 2
Return to subject