PRACTICE EXAM 4, Diagonalization
PRACTICE EXAM 4, Diagonalization
5 −2
(2) Complex eigenvalues. Let A = .
1 3
(a) Compute the eigenvalues of A.
(b) Find a diagonal matrix D and an invertible matrix P that satisfy A = P DP −1 .
(c) Find a skew-symmetric matrix S and an invertible matrix Q that satisfy A = QSQ−1 .
answer:
(a) The characteristic polynomial of A is λ2 − 8λ + 17, and the eigenvalues are
p √
8 ± 64 − 4(17) 8 ± −4
λ= = = 4 ± i.
2 2
(b) We have the eigenvalues already, so
4−i 0
D= .
0 4+i
1
2 LINEAR ALGEBRA — PRACTICE EXAM 4
answer: Let v1 , v2 , and v3 denote the vectors in V . An orthogonal set of vectors is:
w1 = v1
3
0
v2 · w1 −5
w2 = v2 − w1 = v2 − 3
w1 =
w1 · w1 5 −3
3
0
0
v3 · w2 v3 · w1 1
w3 = v3 − w2 − w1 = v3 − v2 − 4v1 =
0 .
w2 · w2 w1 · w1 3 4
−4
On the test, I will ask for an orthonormal (not just orthogonal) set of vectors.