Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Mathematics/2017 July 5

Mathematics desk
< July 4 << Jun | July | Aug >> July 6 >
Welcome to the Wikipedia Mathematics Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.


July 5

edit

Eigenvalues of A^2

edit

Hello,

It's straightforward to show that if λ is an eigenvalue of A then λ^2 is an eigenvalue of A^2. I'm trying to prove that opposite, that if λ^2 an eigenvalue of A^2 (over the complex numbers C) then λ or -λ is an eigenvalue of A. I would appreciate any direction. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.127.22.176 (talk) 15:32, 5 July 2017 (UTC)[reply]

  Count Iblis (talk) 20:55, 5 July 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Could you pleas elaborate? why it cannot be the case that (x-λ^2) appears in the characteristic polynomial of A-λI or A+λI? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.127.22.176 (talk) 06:08, 6 July 2017 (UTC)[reply]
never mind, I understand. Thanks! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.127.22.176 (talk) 06:42, 6 July 2017 (UTC)[reply]
By a similar argument you get a generalization: If p is a polynomial and μ is an eigenvalue of p(A), then every eigenvalue of A is a solution of p(λ)=μ.--RDBury (talk) 12:58, 7 July 2017 (UTC)[reply]
Shouldn't that be, instead of "every eigenvalue of A is", "there exists an eigenvalue of A which is"? -- Meni Rosenfeld (talk) 23:50, 8 July 2017 (UTC)[reply]
Yes. Good catch. --RDBury (talk) 10:04, 10 July 2017 (UTC)[reply]