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Let $A \in \Bbb R^{5 \times 5}$. Let $$v_1=(1,0,0,1,1), \quad v_2=(1,1,0,0,1), \quad v_3=(-1,0,1,0,0)$$ be eigenvectors of $A$. Also, $$\rho(2I-A) \gt\rho(3I-A)$$ and $$A(1,2,2,1,3)^t=(0,4,6,2,6)^t$$ Prove that $A$ is diagonalizable and find a diagonal matrix similar to $A$.

Hint: write the vector $u=(1,2,2,1,3)$ as a linear combination of $v_1,v_2,v_3$.


What I tried:

so according to the the hint $\alpha(1,0,0,1,1) + \beta (1,1,0,0,1) +\gamma(-1,0,1,0,0)=(1,2,2,1,3)$ we get $\alpha =1 , \beta = 2 \gamma = 2$ so we have $1\cdot(1,0,0,1,1) + 2\cdot (1,1,0,0,1) +2\cdot(-1,0,1,0,0)=(1,2,2,1,3)$

according to $A(1,2,2,1,3)^t=(0,4,6,2,6)^t$ we get $A \cdot$$\left(\begin{matrix} 1 \\ 2 \\ 2 \\ 1 \\ 3 \\ \end{matrix} \right) $ $=$ $\left(\begin{matrix} 0 \\ 4 \\ 6 \\ 2 \\ 6 \\ \end{matrix} \right) $ and from the hint we get $A \cdot$$\left(\begin{matrix} 1 \\ 0 \\ 0 \\ 1 \\ 1 \\ \end{matrix} \right) $ $+$ $2A \cdot$$\left(\begin{matrix} 1 \\ 1 \\ 0 \\ 0 \\ 1 \\ \end{matrix} \right) $ $+$ $2A \cdot$$\left(\begin{matrix} -1 \\ 0 \\ 1 \\ 0 \\ 0 \\ \end{matrix} \right) $ $=$ $\left(\begin{matrix} 0 \\ 4 \\ 6 \\ 2 \\ 6 \\ \end{matrix} \right) $

According to $Av = \lambda v$ I got $\lambda_1 \cdot$$\left(\begin{matrix} 1 \\ 0 \\ 0 \\ 1 \\ 1 \\ \end{matrix} \right) $ $+$ $2\lambda_2 \cdot$$\left(\begin{matrix} 1 \\ 1 \\ 0 \\ 0 \\ 1 \\ \end{matrix} \right) $ $+$ $2\lambda_3 \cdot$$\left(\begin{matrix} -1 \\ 0 \\ 1 \\ 0 \\ 0 \\ \end{matrix} \right) $ $=$ $\left(\begin{matrix} 0 \\ 4 \\ 6 \\ 2 \\ 6 \\ \end{matrix} \right) $

So now I just compare and take some equations out and get that $\lambda_1=2 , \lambda_2 =2 , \lambda_3=3$ in order for A to be diagonalizable the values need to be different so we have atleast two eigenvalues. the eigenspaces are $(2I-A)$ and $(3I-A)$ and according to given information and dimension theorem we get

$dimV_2 = n - \rho(2I-A) = 5- \rho(2I-A)$ and also $dimV_3 = n - \rho(3I-A) = 5- \rho(3I-A)$ according to the given information of the question we can now understand that $dimV_2 \lt dimV_3$

eigenvectors that belong to different eigenvalues are linearly independent and we have $\lambda_1,\lambda_2 \in V_2$ and $\lambda_3 \in V_3$ so $dimV_2 \geq 2$ and from the conclusion that $dimV_2 \lt dimV_3$ we get $dimV_3 \geq 3$ not sure but I guess also $dimV_3 +dimV_2 \leq 5$ because we are in $\Bbb R^5 $ and the dimensions can't be more than the space

This is where I got stuck.. I could not find a way to continue from to get to a matrix or prove what is related to the question.

EDIT - thanks to lhl73 , I found that $dimV_3=3$ and $dimV_2=2$ because from the equations we can get out of $Av= \lambda v$ we have $\lambda_1 =(2,0,0,0,0)$ and $ \lambda_2 = (0,2,0,0,0)$ they are linearly independent and are in the eigenspace $V_2$ and we know that the sum of the dimensions can be 5 at most therefore $dimV_3=3$ and also according to the equations we have $\lambda_3 = (0,0,0,3,0,0)$ $dimV_3=3$ should have 2 more vectors , but how can I find them? can I just add 2 more vectors for example $\lambda_4 = (0,0,0,0,4,0)$ and $\lambda_5 = (0,0,0,0,0,5)$ that are linearly independent and then that matrix will be diagonalizable ?and the matrix made out of those 5 vectors will also be a diagonal matrix similar to A?

EDIT 2 -

I just found in the textbook that if we have $dimV_1+...+dimV_n=dim_V$ then the union of the basis of each dimension is the basis for $V$ but how can I apply this to my question? I am missing the vectors of the basis as I do not have any and guessing like in my previous edit is not actually understanding the topic so can anyone explain this to me please ? how do I find the basis

and why according to the answer from a user here, the standard basis won't work? Thanks for any help and tips!

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  • $\begingroup$ For notation, $\rho(\cdot)$, do you mean $\mathrm{rank}(\cdot)$? $\endgroup$
    – River Li
    Commented Feb 4, 2022 at 5:53

1 Answer 1

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Hint Next step would be to deduce the dimension of the eigenspaces; and then use the fact that a matrix is diagonizable iff there exists a basis of eigenvectors

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  • $\begingroup$ Could you please give a way on how to start the process of this ? $\endgroup$
    – Adamrk
    Commented Jan 20, 2022 at 9:18
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    $\begingroup$ It's hard to give further hints because you have basically done all the work needed. There is only one more step left. You have found some equations and inequalites involving the dimensions of the eigenspaces. It is easy to see that there is only one solution - and what that solution is. Once you know the dimensions this should allow you to conclude that you can construct a basis of eigenvectors. $\endgroup$
    – lhl73
    Commented Jan 20, 2022 at 14:14
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    $\begingroup$ No. It will not be the standard basis. The basis you are looking for consists of 5 linearly independent eigenvectors $\endgroup$
    – lhl73
    Commented Jan 20, 2022 at 14:23
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    $\begingroup$ You know that there exists a basis of 2 eignevectors for $V_2$ because the dimension is 2. And similarly there exists a basis of 3 eigenvectors for $V_3$. You don't know explicitly what these vectors are, but that is not necessary: Show that for any such choice, these 2+3=5 vectors will be a basis, by showing that there can be no non-trivial linear relation among them. $\endgroup$
    – lhl73
    Commented Jan 24, 2022 at 8:39
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    $\begingroup$ Yes. When the 5 eigenvectors are the columns of the matrix $P$; then $P$ is invertible (because the columns are linearly independent) and $P^{-1}AP$ is a diagonal matrix with the values $2,2,3,3,3$ on the diagonal. $\endgroup$
    – lhl73
    Commented Jan 24, 2022 at 14:53

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