Math 2.0

Linear and multilinear algebra; matrix theory Definition

Eigenvalue

Builds on Endomorphism

Definition

Let FF be a field, let VV be a vector space over FF, and let T ⁣:V→VT \colon V \to V be an endomorphism. A scalar λ∈F\lambda \in F is an eigenvalue of TT when there is a vector v∈Vv \in V with v≠0v \ne 0 and T(v)=λv.T(v) = \lambda v. An eigenvalue of an n×nn \times n matrix AA over FF is an eigenvalue of the map Fn→FnF^n \to F^n, x↦Axx \mapsto Ax.

Remarks

So λ\lambda is an eigenvalue of TT if and only if T−λid⁡VT - \lambda \id_V is not injective. In finite dimensions, this holds if and only if det⁡(T−λid⁡V)=0\det(T - \lambda \id_V) = 0. The eigenvalues of the diagonal matrix (2003)\begin{pmatrix} 2 & 0 \\ 0 & 3 \end{pmatrix} are 22 and 33. The rotation of ℝ2\R^2 by 9090 degrees has no real eigenvalue.

Reading path

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  1. Vector space definition
  2. Linear map definition
  3. Endomorphism definition
  4. Eigenvalue definition

Where this leads

43 pages build on this one.

Further reading

  1. Web https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eigenvalues_and_eigenvectors, General definition
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