UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN XMA1132

TRINITY COLLEGE

Faculty of Science

school of mathematics

JF Mathematics Hilary Term 2008

JF Theoretical Physics
JF Two Subject Mod
Course 113

Wednesday, March 12 Drawing Office 9.30 — 11.00

Dr. Vladimir Dotsenko

FOR ANY TASK, THE NUMBER OF POINTS YOU CAN GET FOR A COMPLETE
SOLUTION OF THIS TASK IS PRINTED NEXT TO IT

Log tables are available from the invigilators, if required.

Non-programmable calculators are permitted for this examination,—please indicate the make
and model of your calculator on each answer book used.
 Page 2 of 2 XMA1132

1. (20 points) Which of the mappings A, B, C, and D from the vector space of all
polynomials in one variable to the same space are linear operators? Explain your answers.

(Ap)(t) = p(t + 1) − p(t),

(Bp)(t) = p(t)p 0(t),

(Cp)(t) = p(t + 1) + p 0 (t),

(Dp)(t) = p(t + 1) − 1.

2. (a) (8 points) Write down definitions of eigenvalues and eigenvectors for a square
matrix.  
i
(b) (10 points) Show that for any α the vector   ∈ C2 is an eigenvector for the
1
matrix  
cos α − sin α
A= .
sin α cos α
What is the eigenvalue of this eigenvector? Find the other eigenvalue and an
eigenvector for that eigenvalue.

(c) (8 points) Find an invertible (complex) matrix C such that the matrix C −1 AC is
diagonal.

3. Consider the matrices

   
2 3 4 0 0 0
   
A = −2 −2 −2 and B = 0 0 0 .
   
   
1 1 1 0 0 1

(a) (12 points) Describe the Jordan normal form of A.

(b) (8 points) Is A similar to B? Is A2 similar to B? Explain your answers.

(c) (16 points) Find a Jordan basis for A.

4. (18 points) Assume that for a linear operator A : Rn → Rn we have A2 = 0. Prove that
n
rk(A) ≤ .
2

c UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN 2008