Academic year Mathematics 1

Eigenvalues and eigenvectors.

1. Calculate the eigenvalues and their eigensubspaces of the following matrices

     
−4 0 −12 3 2 0 1 −1 −1
A =  −3 2 −6  B =  −1 0 0  C =  1 −1 0 
3
2
0 5 0 0 1 1 0 −1

Solution: Eigenvalues of A: λ1 = 2 (m1 = 2) y λ2 = −1 (m2 = 1). Subspaces of

eigenvectors of A: Eλ1 = h(−2, 0, 1), (0, 1, 0)i and Eλ2 = h(−4, −2, 1)i.
Eigenvalues of B: λ1 = 1 (m1 = 2) y λ2 = 2 (m2 = 1). Subspaces of eigenvectors of
B: Eλ1 = h(1, −1, 0), (0, 0, 1)i and Eλ2 = h(−2, 1, 0)i.
Eigenvalues of C: λ1 = −1 (m1 = 1)
   
0 1 a 2
2. Given the matrix A =  1 0 b . Calculate a y b such that  0  is an eigenvector
1 1 0 −1
of A with eigenvalue λ = −2. Calculate the other eigenvalues and eigenvectors of A.
Solution: a = 4, b = 2; λ1 = 3 Eλ1 = h(7, 5, 4)i, λ2 = −2 Eλ2 = h(2, 0, −1)i, λ3 = −1
Eλ3 = h(1, −1, 0)i.
 
2 1 4
3. Given the matrix A =  0 2 3 
0 0 1
a) Decide whether λ = 5 is an eigenvalue of A.
   
1 1
b) Are u =  0  and v =  −2  eigenvectors of A? If this is the case, find the
0 3
associated eigenvalue.
Solution: a) λ = 5 is not eigenvalue; (b) u is an eigenvector associated wit the eigenvalue
λ = 2 and v is not an eigenvector.
 
7 −10 0
4. Given the matrix A =  3 −4 0 
1 −2 2

a) Check whether (2, 1, 0) is an eigenvector of A.

b) Is A diagonalizable.

Solution: Eigenvalues of A: λ1 = 1 (m1 = 1) and λ2 = 2 (m2 = 2). Eigenspaces of A:

Eλ1 = h(5, 3, 1)i and Eλ2 = h(2, 1, 0), (0, 0, 1)i.
5. Given the matrix  
2 0 0
A =  −2 0 a 
2 2 0

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Academic year Mathematics 1

a) Calculate the value of a such that v = (0, 1, −1) is an eigenvector of A.

b) For a = 2, calculate the eigenvalues and eigenspaces of A. Is A diagonalizable?

Solution: a) a = 2; b) Eigenvalues of A: λ1 = 2 (m1 = 2) and λ2 = −2 (m2 = 1).

Eigenspaces of A: Eλ1 = h(1, 0, 1), (0, 1, 1)i and Eλ2 = h(0, 1, −1)i.

6. Decide if the following matrices are diagonalizable

       
5 1 −1 5 0 −1 1 1 0 5 3 1
A= 2 4 −2  B =  0 −1 0 C =  1 1 0 D =  0 1 2 
−1 −1 3 1 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 −1

Solution: The matrix A is diagonalizable; B is not.

 
−1 0 0
7. Given the matrix A =  3 1 3 .
−3 0 2

a) Calculate the eigenvalues and eigenspaces of A.

b) Is A diagonalizable? Justify the answer.
c) Calculate, if possible, an invertible matrix P and a diagonal matrix D such that
A = P DP −1 .

Solution: Eigenvalues of A: λ1 = −1 (m1 = 1), λ2 = 1 (m2 = 1) and λ3 = 2 (m3 = 1).

Eigenspaces of A: Eλ1 = h(1, −3, 1)i, Eλ2 = h(0, 1, 0)i and Eλ3 = h(0, 3, 1)i.
 
3 1 1
8. Given the matirx A =  0 4 1 
0 1 4

a) Calculate the eigenvalues and eigenspaces of A.

b) Is A diagonalizable? If this is the case, calculate an invertible matrix P and a diagonal
matrix D such that A = P DP −1 .

Solution: Eigenvalues of A: λ1 = 3 (m1 = 2) and λ2 = 5 (m2 = 1). Eigenspaces of A:

Eλ1 = h(1, 0, 0), (0, 1, −1)i and Eλ2 = h(1, 1, 1)i.
 
1 3
9. Given the matrix A = , calculate the eigenvalues and eigenspaces of A. Cal-
−1 5
culate an invertible matrix P and a diagonal matrix D such that A = P DP −1 . Calculate
A20 .
Solución: Eigenvalues of A: λ1 = 4 (m1 = 1)  and λ2 = 2 (m2 = 1). Eigenspacesof A:
1 4 − 3 × 220 −3 × 420 + 3 × 220
20
Eλ1 = h(1, 1)i and Eλ2 = h(3, 1)i. A20 = −
2 420 − 220 −3 × 420 + 220
 
  1 0 0
0,8 0,3
10. Calculate An , n ∈ N, for the matrices (a) A = , (b) A = 0 0 1.
0,2 0,7
0 4 0
Solution:

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Academic year Mathematics 1

 
1 3 −4 0 0
!
3+ 3−
(a)An = 15  2n−1 2n  (b) An = − 1 0 −2n+1 + (−2)n+1 −2n + (−2)n
1 3 4
2 − n−1 2+ n 0 −2n+2 + (−2)n+2 −2n+1 + (−2)n+1
2 2
 
0 1 1
11. Given the matrix A =  1 0 1  calculate:
1 1 0

a) A basis of R3 of eigenvectors of A.
b) An orthonormal basis of R3 of eigenvectors of A.
c) The relation between the matrix A and the diagonal similar matrix.
     
1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1
Solution: b) B = √ , 0, − √ , − √ , √ , − √ , √ , √ , √
 2 2  6 6 6 3 3 3
√1 1 1   √1 √1

− √ √ 0 −
 
0 1 1 2 6 3 −1 0 0 2 2
c)  1 0 1  =  0 √2 √1   0 −1 0 − √1 √2 − √1 
   
6 3  6 6 6
1 1 0 − √12 − √16 √13 0 0 2 √1
3
√1
3
√1
3
 
1 −1 0 0
 −1 1 0 0 
12. Given the matrix A =   0
 Is A diagonalizable? Why? Calculate an
0 0 0 
0 0 0 2
t
orthogonal matrix Q such that Q AQ is diagonal.
 1
√1 0 0

√
2 2
 √1 − √1 0 0 
Solution: Q =   0
2 2 
0 1 0 
0 0 0 1
13. Given the matrix  
3 0 0
A= 0 0 −1 
0 −1 0
a) Is A diagonalizable? Why?
b) Calculate an orthogonal matrix Q such that Qt AQ is diagonal.
1 0 0
 

Solution: Q =  0 √1 √1 
2 2
0 − √12 √12
 
  3 −1 0
1 3
14. Calculate An , n ∈ N, for the matrices (a) A = , (b) A =  −1 3 0 .
3 1
0 0 −2
1 4 + (−2)n 4n − (−2)n
 n 
Solution: (a) An = n n n n
2 4 − (−2) 4 + (−2)
15. The eigenvalues of a matrix A are 0 and −1. the associated eigenvectors are (1, 1) y (0, 1)
respectively. Calculate A and A13 .

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Academic year Mathematics 1

16. Let A be a real symmetric matrix of size 2 × 2 with eigenvalues λ = 1 and µ = 0. Find
an eigenvector associated to λ knowing that u = (1, 1) is an eigenvector associated to 0.
Solution: An eigenvector associated to λ = 1 is (1, −1).


1 0 0
17. a) Given the matrix A =  0 1 2 
−1 0 −1
a.1) Calculate the eigenvalues and eigenspaces of A.
a.2) Is A diagonalizable? Justify the answer.
b) Given a matrix A of size 2x2, we know that it is diagonalizable and that the ei-
genvalues are 0 y 3 , with eigenvectors (1, 1) y (4, 1), respectively. Find the matrix
A.
Solution: (a) Eigenvalues of A: λ1 = −1 (m1 = 1) andλ2 = 1 (m
 2 = 2). Eigenspaces
4 −4
of A: Eλ1 = h(0, 1, −1)i and Eλ2 = h(0, 1, 0)i. (b) A = .
1 −1
 
1 2
18. Consider the matrix A = .
2 1

a) Calculate, if it is possible, an orthogonal matrix Q and a diagonal matrix D such

that A = QDQt .
b) Calculate An , ∀n ∈ N.
!
√1 √1
 
2 2 −1 0
Solution: a) Q = −1 √1
, D= .
√
2 2
0 3

(−1)n + 3n −(−1)n + 3n
 
n 1
b) A = .
2 −(−1)n + 3n (−1)n + 3n
 
0 3
19. Given the matrix A = .
3 0

a) Is A diagonalizable? Justify the answer.

b) Calculate, if it is possible, an orthogonal matrix Q and a diagonal matrix D such
that A = QDQt .
c) Find An , ∀n ∈ N.

Solution: Eigenvalues of A: λ1 = 3 (m1 = 1) and λ2 = −3 (m2 = 1).

 
a 0 −1
20. Consider the matrix A =  −1 1 1  , a ∈ R.
−1 0 2

a) Find a such that λ = 3 is an eigenvalue of A.

b) For a = 2

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Academic year Mathematics 1

(b.1 ) Find the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of A.

(b.2 ) Is A diagonalizable? If this is the case, calculate an invertible matrix P and a
diagonal matrix D such that P −1 AP = D.
(b.3 ) Find A15 .

21. a) Given the matrix  

1 a b
A =  −1 1 1 
0 b b
(a.1) Calculate a and b such that v = (1, 1, 1) is an eigenvector associated with the
eigenvalue λ = 1.
(a.2) For a = 0 and b = 0, calculate the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of A. Is A
diagonalizable? Justify the answer.
 
2 1
b) Calculate An , n ∈ N, for A = .
1 2
1 3n + 1 3n − 1
 
n
Solution: A = n n .
2 3 −1 3 +1

2 2 0
22. Given the matrix A =  1 1 0 .
0 3 0

a) Calculate the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of de A.

b) Is A diagonalizable? Justify the answer.

Solution: λ1 = 3, m1 = 1, Eλ1 = h(2, 1, 1)i, λ2 = 0, m2 = 2, Eλ2 = h(0, 0, 1)i. A is not

diagonalizable.
 
1 −2
23. Consider the matrix A = .
−2 1

a) Calculate if possible an invertible matrix P and a diagonal matrix D such that

A = P DP −1 .
b) Calculate if possible an orthogonal matrix Q and a diagonal matrix D such that
A = QDQt .
c) Calculate An , n ∈ N.

Solution:
   
1 1 3 0
a) P = ; D =
−1 1 0 −1
!
√1 √1
 
2 2 3 0
b) Q = ; D=
− √12 √1
2
0 −1
 
n 1 (−1)n + 3n (−1)n − 3n
c) A = .
2 (−1)n − 3n (−1)n + 3n

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Academic year Mathematics 1

 
1 0 0
24. a) Given the matrix A =  0 1 2 
0 0 −1
a.1) Calculate the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of de A.
a.2) Is A diagonalizable? Justify the answer.
b) Given a matrix A of size 2 × 2, it is known that it is diagonalizable and that its
eigenvalues are 0 and 1, with eigenvectors (1, 1) and (−1, 1), respectively. Find the
matrix A.
Solution:

a) a.1) λ1 = 1, m1 = 2, Eλ1 = h(1, 0, 0), (0, 1, 0)i, λ2 = −1, m2 = 1, Eλ2 = h(0, 1, −1)i.
a.2) A is diagonalizable.
 
1/2 −1/2
b) .
−1/2 1/2

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