Let $T$ be an invertible tree on $n$ vertices. Obtain the tree $T_1$ from $T$ by adding a pendant $v$ at some vertex of $T$. Let $A$ be adjacency matrix of $T_1$. Assume last column of $A$ is indexed by vertex $v$. I noticed that every eigenvector of $A$ has last entry nonzero. How to prove that it can never be zero?
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1$\begingroup$ please explain briefly what an invertible tree is and what is a pendant, thanks! $\endgroup$ – orangeskid Apr 22 '20 at 5:27
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$\begingroup$ Invertible tree is one whose adjacency matrix is nonsingular. A pendant is vertex of degree $1$. $\endgroup$ – Sry Apr 22 '20 at 5:29
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Here's a counterexample:
1 -- 2 -- 3 -- 4 -- 5 -- 6 -- 7 -- 8
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The tree $T$ which is a path on $8$ vertices is invertible (it has a perfect matching). However, adding the vertex $v$ adjacent to vertex $3$ gives us a tree $T_1$ one of whose eigenvectors is $(1, 1, 0, -1, -1, 0, 1, 1, 0)$, with a $0$ in $v$'s entry.
Here's that eigenvector in tree form:
1 -- 1 -- 0 -- -1 -- -1 -- 0 -- 1 -- 1
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answered Apr 22 '20 at 6:17
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HINT:
Let $\tilde x = (x,0)$. The equality $A \tilde x = \lambda \tilde x$ is equivalent to $A' x = \lambda x$ and $ x_i=0$, where $A'$ is the matrix of the original tree $T$ and $i$ is the vertex of $T$ connected to the new vertex. So we have to check that no eigenvector of $T$ has any zero component.
