# Algebraic and Geometric Multiplicities For An Orthogonal Projection and Reflection

Consider a subspace $V$ in $\mathbb R^n$ with $\dim(V) = m$.

• Suppose a matrix $A$ in $\mathbb R^{n\times n}$ that represents the orthogonal projection over $V$. What can you say about the eigenvalues and their algebraic and geometric multiplicities?

• Same requirements but for $B$ in $\mathbb R^{n\times n}$ that represents the reflection in $V$.

I know that the eigenvalues for an orthogonal projection are $0$ and $1$ while for a reflection they are $1$ and $-1$.

I also know what algebraic and geometric multiplicities mean and that the geometric multiplicity is lower or equal than the algebraic multiplicity.

However, although I've read somewhere that the multiplicity of the eigenvalue $1$ for a projection is $m$ and for the eigenvalue $0$ is $m-n$ I don't understand why. Also I don't know how to find the geometric multiplicities from this fact.

Thank you

• If $x\in V$ then $Ax=x$ and if $x$ is orthogonal to every member of $V$ then $Ax=0.$ That gets you a space of dimension $m$ that is the eigenspace corresponding to the eigenvalue $1$, and another space in which every vector is an eigenvector with eigenvalue $0. \qquad$ – Michael Hardy Jun 14 '17 at 16:06