# geometric multiplicity= algebraic multiplicity for a symmetric matrix

Could any one tell me how to prove:

$\lambda$ be an eigen value of a symmetric matrix $A$ then how to show that the geometric multiplicity and algebraic multiplicity are equal?

-
What facts do you know so far? If you know the fact that all symmetric matrices are orthogonally diagonalizable then this is easy. If not then it gets a bit more complicated. – EuYu May 16 '13 at 4:57
see the thing is was reading that proof from my local writer book, and he says "let A be orthogonally diagonalizable..." I understand that that then $A$ is symmetric, but for the converse part he uses this lemma which he has not proved in his books so I asked. – La Belle Noiseuse May 16 '13 at 5:02
I think the standard way to prove that symmetric matrices are orthogonally diagonalizable uses the fact that matrices with real eigenvalues are orthogonally triangularizable. This is sometimes referred to as Schur's theorem. Have you heard of that before? – EuYu May 16 '13 at 5:05
No Dear Sir EUYU – La Belle Noiseuse May 16 '13 at 6:14

## 2 Answers

Every symmetric matrix is diagonalizable (this can be proved by small perturbation argument), that is: it has a full set of orthogonal eigenvectors and is conjugate to a diagonal matrix. So, you only need to prove the statement for diagonal matrix. Symmetric matrices have no Jordan block in their spectral decomposition, that cause discrepancy in the geometric and algebraic multiplicities of eigenvalues.

-
Out of curiosity, I've never heard of proving a symmetric matrix to be diagonalizable using perturbation. Can you sketch a proof? – EuYu May 16 '13 at 5:14
Well, if a matrix has all eigenvalues of multiplicity 1 then it is obviously diagonalizable. Suppose, it has an eigenvalue of higher multiplicity (belongs to a thin set). We perturbe the matrix, keeping it symmetric and making eigenvalues simple. Perturbed matrices have full orthogonal sets of unit eigenvectors, which cannot collapse to parallel vectors in the limit, because they are orthogonal and unit. Hope it helps:) – DVD May 16 '13 at 5:30
Very clear, thanks :) – EuYu May 16 '13 at 5:35
Readers may be interested in this related thread with a slightly more detailed argument being used for a related purpose. – Silverfish Jan 3 at 0:01

If $A$ is real symmetric then it is diagonalizable. That is, there is some orthogonal $P$ such that $AP=PD$, where $D$ is diagonal. The columns of $P$ are each eigenvectors, and form a basis. Hence all geometric multiplicities equal algebraic multiplicities.

-