National University of Singapore
Department of Mathematics
Semester 1, 2025/26 MA2001 Linear Algebra I Tutorial 10
Questions in this tutorial sheet will be discussed in the tutorial classes in Week 12
(3/11-7/11).
You are advised to revise Sections 6.2 to 6.4 before attempting the questions.
Questions
1. For each of the following matrices A, determine if A is diagonalisable or orthog-
onally diagonalisable. If A is diagonalisable (resp. orthogonally diagonalisable),
find an invertible (resp. orthogonal) matrix P such that P −1 AP (resp. P T AP )
is a diagonal matrix.
−1 −2 2
3 0 0 1 1 1
(a) A = 0 2 0 (b) A = 4 3 −4 (c) A = 1 1 1
0 1 2 0 −2 1 1 1 1
(Learning objectives: To be familiar with diagonalising and orthogonally diag-
onalising matrices.)
2. A square matrix A is said to be idempotent if A2 = A. For the following, assume
that A is a non zero idempotent matrix.
(i) Prove that AT is idempotent.
(ii) Is −A idempotent? Justify your answer.
(iii) Prove that the eigenvalues of A are either 0 or 1.
(iv) If a square matrix B has only 0 or 1 as eigenvalues, must B be idempotent?
Justify your answer.
(v) Prove that a symmetric matrix C that has only 0 or 1 as eigenvalues is
idempotent.
(Learning objectives: To understand the property of idempotent matrices and
establish some results by definition of eigenvalues and eigenvectors. )
3. Let A be a diagonalisable matrix such that x · (Ax) = 0 for every eigenvector x
of A. Prove that A = 0.
(Learning objectives: The given condition of x · (Ax) = 0 for every eigenvector
x is very specific and forces the conclusion on A.)
1
4. Let A and B be two square matrices of order n such that AB = BA.
(a) Suppose A has n distinct eigenvalues λ1 , λ2 , . . . , λn . From the lecture notes,
we know that A is diagonalizable.
For i = 1, 2, . . . , n, let Eλi be the eigenspace of A associated with the eigen-
value λi and let ui be an eigenvector of A associated with λi .
(i) For i = 1, 2, . . . , n, prove that dim(Eλi ) = 1.
(ii) For i = 1, 2, . . . , n, prove that if Bui ̸= 0, then Bui is an eigenvector of
A associated with λi .
(iii) Show that B is diagonalizable and there exists an invertible matrix P
such that P −1 AP and P −1 BP are diagonal matrices.
(b) Let n = 2. Give an example of A and B such that AB = BA and A is
diagonalizable while B is not.
(Learning objectives: Matrix product generally do not commute (AB ̸= BA).
But if they do, some interesting properties can be established. )
5. Find the quadratic form associated with the following quadratic equation, name
the conic section and give its equation in the standard form.
√ √
9x2 + 6xy + y 2 − 10 10x + 10 10y + 90 = 0.
(Learning objectives: To be familiar with using orthogonal diagonalisation in
the identification of conic sections.)