MATH 2161: Matrices and

Vector Analysis

Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif

Lecturer in Mathematics
Department of General Education
Canadian University of Bangladesh
Former Lecturer, World University of Bangladesh

Lesson 05 01
 Lecture Outline

Matrix Polynomials

Characteristic Root and Characteristic Vector

Characteristic Matrix

Characteristic Polynomial

Characteristic Equation

MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 05 02

 Matrix Polynomials
If 𝐴 is a square matrix, say 𝑛 × 𝑛, and if

𝑝 𝑥 = 𝑎0 + 𝑎1 𝑥 + 𝑎2 𝑥 2 + ⋯ + 𝑎𝑚 𝑥 𝑚

is any polynomial, then we define the 𝑛 × 𝑛 matrix 𝑝(𝐴) to be

𝑝 𝐴 = 𝑎0 𝐼 + 𝑎1 𝐴 + 𝑎2 𝐴2 + ⋯ + 𝑎𝑚 𝐴𝑚 … … … 1

where 𝐼 is the 𝑛 × 𝑛 identity matrix; that is 𝑝(𝐴) is obtained by substituting 𝐴 for 𝑥

and replacing the constant term 𝑎0 by the matrix 𝑎0 𝐼. An expression of form 1 is
called a matrix polynomial in 𝐴.

MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 05 03

 Matrix Polynomials
−1 2
Example: Find 𝑝 𝐴 for 𝑝 𝑥 = 2𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 + 4 and 𝐴 = .
0 3

Solution: 𝑝 𝐴 = 2𝐴2 − 3𝐴 + 4𝐼

2
−1 2 −1 2 1 0
=2 −3 +4
0 3 0 3 0 1

1 4 −1 2 1 0
=2 −3 +4
0 9 0 3 0 1

2 8 −3 6 4 0
= − +
0 18 0 9 0 4

9 2
=
0 13
MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 05 04
Characteristic Root and Characteristic Vector
A non-zero vector 𝑋 is defined as a characteristic vector of a matrix 𝐴 if there exists a
number 𝜆 such that 𝐴𝑋 = 𝜆𝑋, where 𝜆 is defined as a characteristic root corresponding
to the characteristic vector 𝑋.

The characteristic roots characteristic vectors can also be written as 𝐴𝑋 = 𝜆𝐼𝑋, where 𝐼
being the unit matrix of order 𝑛 & 𝐴 = 𝑎𝑖𝑗 be a matrix of order 𝑛 × 𝑛. Now

(a) The matrix 𝐴 − 𝜆𝐼 or 𝜆𝐼 − 𝐴 is called the characteristic matrix of 𝐴.

(b) The determinant 𝐴 − 𝜆𝐼 or 𝜆𝐼 − 𝐴 is called the characteristic polynomial of 𝐴.
(c) 𝐴 − 𝜆𝐼 = 0 is called the characteristic equation of 𝐴.
(d) 𝜆 is called characteristic root or eigenvalue (proper value) of 𝐴.

MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 05 05

 Characteristic Matrix
If 𝐴 is an 𝑛 × 𝑛 matrix, then 𝐴 − 𝜆𝐼 is called the characteristic matrix of 𝐴, where 𝐼 is
an 𝑛 × 𝑛 identity matrix.

1 2
Example: Consider 𝐴 =
0 1

The characteristic matrix of 𝐴 is

1 2 1 0
𝐴 − 𝜆𝐼 = −𝜆
0 1 0 1

1 2 𝜆 0
= −
0 1 0 𝜆

1−𝜆 2
=
0 1−𝜆
MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 05 06
 Characteristic Polynomial
If 𝐴 is an 𝑛 × 𝑛 matrix, then the determinant of 𝐴 − 𝜆𝐼; that is 𝐴 − 𝜆𝐼 is called the
characteristic polynomial of 𝐴.
1 1
Example: Consider 𝐴 =
2 3
The characteristic matrix of 𝐴 is
1 1 1 0
𝐴 − 𝜆𝐼 = −𝜆
2 3 0 1
1 1 𝜆 0
= −
2 3 0 𝜆
1−𝜆 1
=
2 3−𝜆
1−𝜆 1
The characteristic polynomial is 𝐴 − 𝜆𝐼 = = 1−𝜆 3−𝜆 −2
2 3−𝜆
= 3 − 𝜆 − 3𝜆 + 𝜆2 − 2 = 𝜆2 − 4𝜆 + 1
MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 05 07
 Characteristic Equation
If 𝐴 is an 𝑛 × 𝑛 matrix, then the equation 𝐴 − 𝜆𝐼 = 0 is called the characteristic
equation of 𝐴.
1 1
Example: Consider 𝐴 =
2 3
The characteristic matrix of 𝐴 is
1 1 1 0
𝐴 − 𝜆𝐼 = −𝜆
2 3 0 1
1 1 𝜆 0
= −
2 3 0 𝜆
1−𝜆 1
=
2 3−𝜆
1−𝜆 1
The characteristic equation is 𝐴 − 𝜆𝐼 = 0 ⇒ =0
2 3−𝜆
⇒ 𝜆2 − 4𝜆 + 1 = 0
MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 05 08
Characteristic Roots or Eigenvalues of a 𝟐 × 𝟐 Matrix
3 1
Problem: Find the characteristic roots or eigenvalues of the matrix 𝐴 = .
5 7
Solution: The characteristic matrix of 𝐴 is
3 1 1 0 3 1 𝜆 0 3−𝜆 1
𝐴 − 𝜆𝐼 = −𝜆 = − =
5 7 0 1 5 7 0 𝜆 5 7−𝜆
Now, the characteristic polynomial of 𝐴 is
3−𝜆 1
𝐴 − 𝜆𝐼 = = 3 − 𝜆 7 − 𝜆 − 5 = 21 − 3𝜆 − 7𝜆 + 𝜆2 − 5 = 𝜆2 − 10𝜆 + 16
5 7−𝜆
Therefore, the characteristic equation of 𝐴 is
𝐴 − 𝜆𝐼 = 0
⇒ 𝜆2 − 10𝜆 + 16 = 0
⇒ 𝜆−8 𝜆−2 =0
⇒ 𝜆 = 2, 8
∴ 𝜆1 = 2 and 𝜆2 = 8 which are the characteristic roots or eigenvalues of 𝐴.
MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 05 09
Characteristic Roots or Eigenvalues of a 𝟑 × 𝟑 Matrix

5 0 1
Problem: Find the characteristic roots or eigenvalues of the matrix 𝐴 = 0 −2 0 .
1 0 5
Solution: The characteristic matrix of 𝐴 is

5 0 1 1 0 0
𝐴 − 𝜆𝐼 = 0 −2 0 −𝜆 0 1 0
1 0 5 0 0 1

5 0 1 𝜆 0 0
= 0 −2 0 − 0 𝜆 0
1 0 5 0 0 𝜆

5−𝜆 0 1
= 0 −2 − 𝜆 0
1 0 5−𝜆

MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 05 10

Characteristic Roots or Eigenvalues of a 𝟑 × 𝟑 Matrix
The characteristic polynomial of 𝐴 is
5−𝜆 0 1
𝐴 − 𝜆𝐼 = 0 −2 − 𝜆 0 = 5 − 𝜆 −2 − 𝜆 5 − 𝜆 − 0 − 0 + 1 0 − −2 − 𝜆
1 0 5−𝜆
= 5 − 𝜆 −2 − 𝜆 5 − 𝜆 + 1 𝜆 + 2
= 5−𝜆 𝜆+2 𝜆−5 +1 𝜆+2
= 𝜆+2 𝜆−5 5−𝜆 +1
= (𝜆 + 2)(−𝜆2 + 10𝜆 − 24)
The characteristic equation of 𝐴 is
𝐴 − 𝜆𝐼 = 0
⇒ 𝜆 + 2 −𝜆2 + 10𝜆 − 24 = 0
⇒ 𝜆 + 2 𝜆2 − 10𝜆 + 24 = 0
⇒ 𝜆+2 𝜆−6 𝜆−4 =0
∴ 𝜆 = −2, 4, 6, which are the characteristic roots or eigenvalues of 𝐴.
MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 05 11
 Next Lecture

 Cayley-Hamilton Theorem

 Verification of Cayley-Hamilton’s Theorem

MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 05 12