Prove or disprove: A and A transpose have the same eigenspaces

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In summary, the conversation discusses whether A and AT have the same eigenspaces and the attempt at a solution suggests that they may not unless they are symmetric. It is then suggested to provide a counterexample to disprove the statement.
  • #1
zeion
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Homework Statement



Prove or disprove: A and AT have the same eigenspaces.

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution



I know that A and AT have the same determinant and so they have the same characteristic polynomial and eigenvalues, but then if they are transposed then the stuff above and below the main diagonal is swapped then they wouldn't have the same eigenspaces? Unless they were symmetric?
 
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  • #2
If you don't think it's true, try and create a simple example to show it isn't true. That would be a disproof.
 
  • #3
Okay so I did that and showed that its not true.. unless it was symmetric. Does that count as a disprove?
 
  • #4
No, you will need to come up with a specific counterexample if you want to disprove it.
 

1. What does it mean for two matrices to have the same eigenspaces?

Two matrices having the same eigenspaces means that they have the same set of eigenvectors and eigenvalues. This means that when a vector is multiplied by either matrix, the resulting vector will be in the same direction (eigenvector) and have the same scaling factor (eigenvalue).

2. Can you provide an example of two matrices that have the same eigenspaces?

One example is the identity matrix and its transpose. The identity matrix has all 1's on the main diagonal and 0's everywhere else, and its transpose is just itself. Since the identity matrix has 1 as its only eigenvalue and all vectors are eigenvectors, its transpose will have the same eigenspaces.

3. How can you prove that two matrices have the same eigenspaces?

To prove that two matrices have the same eigenspaces, you can show that they have the same eigenvalues and corresponding eigenvectors. This can be done by finding the eigenvalues of each matrix and then solving for the corresponding eigenvectors. If the eigenvalues and eigenvectors match, then the matrices have the same eigenspaces.

4. Is it possible for two matrices to have the same eigenspaces but different eigenvalues?

No, if two matrices have the same eigenspaces, they must have the same eigenvalues. This is because the eigenvalues determine the scaling factor for the eigenvectors, so if the eigenspaces are the same, the eigenvalues must also be the same.

5. What are the implications if A and A transpose have the same eigenspaces?

If A and A transpose have the same eigenspaces, it means that these matrices have some special properties. For example, they will have the same determinant, trace, and rank. This can also be useful in solving certain problems, such as finding the diagonalization or eigenvalues of a matrix.

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