Diagonilazibility in triangular matrix: TIFR GS 2018 Part A Problem 20

[et_pb_section fb_built="1" _builder_version="3.22.4" fb_built="1" _i="0" _address="0"][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.25" _i="0" _address="0.0"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="3.25" custom_padding="|||" custom_padding__hover="|||" _i="0" _address="0.0.0"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.22.4" text_font="Raleway|300|||||||" text_text_color="#ffffff" header_font="Raleway|300|||||||" header_text_color="#e2e2e2" background_color="#0c71c3" border_radii="on|5px|5px|5px|5px" box_shadow_style="preset3" custom_padding="20px|20px|20px|20px" _i="0" _address="0.0.0.0"]

Understand the problem

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27" text_font="Raleway||||||||" background_color="#f4f4f4" box_shadow_style="preset2" custom_margin="10px||10px" custom_padding="10px|20px|10px|20px" hover_enabled="0" _i="1" _address="0.0.0.1"]Let A ∈ $M_n(\Bbb R)$ be upper triangular with all diagonal entries 1 such that $A \neq I$ . Then A is not diagonalizable. [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.25" _i="1" _address="0.1"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="3.25" custom_padding="|||" custom_padding__hover="|||" _i="0" _address="0.1.0"][et_pb_accordion open_toggle_text_color="#0c71c3" _builder_version="3.27.3" toggle_font="||||||||" body_font="Raleway||||||||" text_orientation="center" custom_margin="10px||10px" _i="0" _address="0.1.0.0"][et_pb_accordion_item title="Source of the problem" open="off" _builder_version="3.27.3" hover_enabled="0" _i="0" _address="0.1.0.0.0"]

TIFR GS 2018 Part A Problem 20[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title="Topic" _builder_version="3.27.3" hover_enabled="0" _i="1" _address="0.1.0.0.1" open="off"]Linear Algebra[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title="Difficulty Level" _builder_version="3.27.3" hover_enabled="0" _i="2" _address="0.1.0.0.2" open="off"]Hard[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title="Suggested Book" _builder_version="3.27.3" hover_enabled="0" _i="3" _address="0.1.0.0.3" open="on"]Linear Algebra; Hoffman and Kunze[/et_pb_accordion_item][/et_pb_accordion][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.23.3" text_font="Raleway|300|||||||" text_text_color="#ffffff" header_font="Raleway|300|||||||" header_text_color="#e2e2e2" background_color="#0c71c3" border_radii="on|5px|5px|5px|5px" box_shadow_style="preset3" custom_margin="48px||48px" custom_padding="20px|20px|20px|20px" _i="1" _address="0.1.0.1"]

Start with hints

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Let us start by assuming A is diagonalizable. Let’s see what it means to say A is diagonalizable.

A is diagonalizable if there exists a basis of $\Bbb R^n$ consisting of eigenvalues of A.
Now as A is upper triangular the diagonal elements of A are the eigenvalues of A. So the only eigenvalue of A is 1.
Now what we can say about a linear operator A with a basis of eigenvectors and all the eigenvectors have eigenvalue 1?

[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 2" _builder_version="3.27" _i="2" _address="0.1.0.2.2" hover_enabled="0"]

Now write any vector as a linear combination of eigenvectors of A.
Prove every vector under A is an eigenvector corresponding to eigenvalue 1.
Doesn’t it seem geometrically that A is identity i.e. keeps every vector the same?

[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 3" _builder_version="3.27" _i="3" _address="0.1.0.2.3" hover_enabled="0"]

Yes, indeed. Prove it mathematically by taking the Euclidean Basis vectors $e_1,e_2,..,e_n$
Hence the only such matrix is I, so no non-identity upper triangular matrix fits this category.
So the answer is True.

[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 4" _builder_version="3.27" _i="4" _address="0.1.0.2.4" hover_enabled="0"]

Food for Thought:

What would have happened if the diagonal entries are not all equal?
If it is hard to see try to play with 2x2 matrices!
Prove that it can be diagonalized.

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Watch the video

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Connected Program at Cheenta

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The higher mathematics program caters to advanced college and university students. It is useful for I.S.I. M.Math Entrance, GRE Math Subject Test, TIFR Ph.D. Entrance, I.I.T. JAM. The program is problem driven. We work with candidates who have a deep love for mathematics. This program is also useful for adults continuing who wish to rediscover the world of mathematics.[/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_button button_url="https://www.cheenta.com/collegeprogram/" button_text="Learn More" button_alignment="center" _builder_version="3.23.3" custom_button="on" button_bg_color="#0c71c3" button_border_color="#0c71c3" button_border_radius="0px" button_font="Raleway||||||||" button_icon="%%3%%" button_text_shadow_style="preset1" box_shadow_style="preset1" box_shadow_color="#0c71c3" background_layout="dark" _i="7" _address="0.1.0.7"][/et_pb_button][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.22.4" text_font="Raleway|300|||||||" text_text_color="#ffffff" header_font="Raleway|300|||||||" header_text_color="#e2e2e2" background_color="#0c71c3" border_radii="on|5px|5px|5px|5px" box_shadow_style="preset3" custom_margin="50px||50px" custom_padding="20px|20px|20px|20px" _i="8" _address="0.1.0.8"]

Understand the problem

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27" text_font="Raleway||||||||" background_color="#f4f4f4" box_shadow_style="preset2" custom_margin="10px||10px" custom_padding="10px|20px|10px|20px" hover_enabled="0" _i="1" _address="0.0.0.1"]Let A ∈ $M_n(\Bbb R)$ be upper triangular with all diagonal entries 1 such that $A \neq I$ . Then A is not diagonalizable. [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.25" _i="1" _address="0.1"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="3.25" custom_padding="|||" custom_padding__hover="|||" _i="0" _address="0.1.0"][et_pb_accordion open_toggle_text_color="#0c71c3" _builder_version="3.27.3" toggle_font="||||||||" body_font="Raleway||||||||" text_orientation="center" custom_margin="10px||10px" _i="0" _address="0.1.0.0"][et_pb_accordion_item title="Source of the problem" open="off" _builder_version="3.27.3" hover_enabled="0" _i="0" _address="0.1.0.0.0"]

TIFR GS 2018 Part A Problem 20[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title="Topic" _builder_version="3.27.3" hover_enabled="0" _i="1" _address="0.1.0.0.1" open="off"]Linear Algebra[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title="Difficulty Level" _builder_version="3.27.3" hover_enabled="0" _i="2" _address="0.1.0.0.2" open="off"]Hard[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title="Suggested Book" _builder_version="3.27.3" hover_enabled="0" _i="3" _address="0.1.0.0.3" open="on"]Linear Algebra; Hoffman and Kunze[/et_pb_accordion_item][/et_pb_accordion][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.23.3" text_font="Raleway|300|||||||" text_text_color="#ffffff" header_font="Raleway|300|||||||" header_text_color="#e2e2e2" background_color="#0c71c3" border_radii="on|5px|5px|5px|5px" box_shadow_style="preset3" custom_margin="48px||48px" custom_padding="20px|20px|20px|20px" _i="1" _address="0.1.0.1"]

Start with hints

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_tabs active_tab_background_color="#0c71c3" inactive_tab_background_color="#000000" _builder_version="3.27" tab_text_color="#ffffff" tab_font="||||||||" background_color="#ffffff" hover_enabled="0" _i="2" _address="0.1.0.2"][et_pb_tab title="Hint 0" _builder_version="3.22.4" _i="0" _address="0.1.0.2.0"]Do you really need a hint? Try it first!

[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 1" _builder_version="3.27" _i="1" _address="0.1.0.2.1" hover_enabled="0"]

Let us start by assuming A is diagonalizable. Let’s see what it means to say A is diagonalizable.

A is diagonalizable if there exists a basis of $\Bbb R^n$ consisting of eigenvalues of A.
Now as A is upper triangular the diagonal elements of A are the eigenvalues of A. So the only eigenvalue of A is 1.
Now what we can say about a linear operator A with a basis of eigenvectors and all the eigenvectors have eigenvalue 1?

[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 2" _builder_version="3.27" _i="2" _address="0.1.0.2.2" hover_enabled="0"]

Now write any vector as a linear combination of eigenvectors of A.
Prove every vector under A is an eigenvector corresponding to eigenvalue 1.
Doesn’t it seem geometrically that A is identity i.e. keeps every vector the same?

[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 3" _builder_version="3.27" _i="3" _address="0.1.0.2.3" hover_enabled="0"]

Yes, indeed. Prove it mathematically by taking the Euclidean Basis vectors $e_1,e_2,..,e_n$
Hence the only such matrix is I, so no non-identity upper triangular matrix fits this category.
So the answer is True.

[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 4" _builder_version="3.27" _i="4" _address="0.1.0.2.4" hover_enabled="0"]

Food for Thought:

What would have happened if the diagonal entries are not all equal?
If it is hard to see try to play with 2x2 matrices!
Prove that it can be diagonalized.

[/et_pb_tab][/et_pb_tabs][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.23.3" text_font="Raleway|300|||||||" text_text_color="#ffffff" header_font="Raleway|300|||||||" header_text_color="#e2e2e2" background_color="#0c71c3" border_radii="on|5px|5px|5px|5px" box_shadow_style="preset3" custom_margin="48px||48px" custom_padding="20px|20px|20px|20px" _i="3" _address="0.1.0.3"]

Watch the video

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The higher mathematics program caters to advanced college and university students. It is useful for I.S.I. M.Math Entrance, GRE Math Subject Test, TIFR Ph.D. Entrance, I.I.T. JAM. The program is problem driven. We work with candidates who have a deep love for mathematics. This program is also useful for adults continuing who wish to rediscover the world of mathematics.[/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_button button_url="https://www.cheenta.com/collegeprogram/" button_text="Learn More" button_alignment="center" _builder_version="3.23.3" custom_button="on" button_bg_color="#0c71c3" button_border_color="#0c71c3" button_border_radius="0px" button_font="Raleway||||||||" button_icon="%%3%%" button_text_shadow_style="preset1" box_shadow_style="preset1" box_shadow_color="#0c71c3" background_layout="dark" _i="7" _address="0.1.0.7"][/et_pb_button][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.22.4" text_font="Raleway|300|||||||" text_text_color="#ffffff" header_font="Raleway|300|||||||" header_text_color="#e2e2e2" background_color="#0c71c3" border_radii="on|5px|5px|5px|5px" box_shadow_style="preset3" custom_margin="50px||50px" custom_padding="20px|20px|20px|20px" _i="8" _address="0.1.0.8"]