Decomposition positive-semidefinite matrix.

linear algebra

If a matrix $A$ $n$x$n$ is positive semidefinite, then has the following decomposition:

$$A=S'S;$$

where S has dimension $m$x$n$.

If $S$ has full column rank, can it be considered that it is no longer a positive semidefinite matrix but a positive definite one?

I understand that if the matrix is ​​positive definite then the matrices of its decomposition have full rank. How then does it vary when these matrices have full column rank?

Best Answer

If $S$ has full column rank, then for any nonzero vector $x$, we have $Sx\ne0$ and $x'Ax=x'S'Sx=\|Sx\|_2^2>0$. Hence $A$ is positive definite.