Finding real matrices of order $2\times 2$ in matrix equation

matrices

Finding all real matrices $X$ of order $2\times 2$ which satisfy the equation $X^2=\begin{pmatrix}
1 & 2 \\
3 & 7
\end{pmatrix}$

My Try: Let $\displaystyle X=\begin{pmatrix} a & b\\
c & d \end{pmatrix}$
. Then $\displaystyle X^2=\begin{pmatrix}a^2+bc & b(a+d)\\
c(a+d) & bc+d^2\end{pmatrix}=\begin{pmatrix}1 & 2\\ 3 & 7\end{pmatrix}$

So $a^2+bc=1\cdots (1)$ and $b(a+d)=2\cdots (2)$

And $c(a+d)=3\cdots (3)$ and $bc+d^2=7\cdots (4)$

But this is very complex method

Could some help me to solve it some easy way .Thanks

Best Answer

Here is what I tried. Let $A=\left(\begin{array}{cc}1&2\\3&7\\\end{array}\right)$. Then $\chi_A(x)=x^2-8x+1$ which has two roots $\lambda_1=4+\sqrt{15}$ and $\lambda_2=4-\sqrt{15}$. So there exists $P$ invertible such that $$P^{-1}AP= \left(\begin{array}{cc}\lambda_1&0\\0&\lambda_2\\\end{array}\right)=:D.$$ Now for $X$ a given matrix, $X^2=A\iff Y^2=D$ where $Y=P^{-1}XP$. Hence we just have to find $Y$ satisfying $Y^2=D$, and the only possible solutions to this are the four matrix of the form $$\left(\begin{array}{cc}\pm\sqrt{\lambda_1}&0\\0&\pm\sqrt{\lambda_2}\\\end{array}\right).$$ To see this, you can see the link given in the comments. One way to prove this would be as follows. Let $\mu_1$ and $\mu_2$ be two complex eigenvalues of $Y$ (maybe equal). Then $$Y\sim\left(\begin{array}{cc}\mu_1&\alpha\\ 0&\mu_2\\ \end{array}\right)$$ for some $\alpha$ so $$Y^2\sim\left(\begin{array}{cc}\mu_1^2&\alpha^\prime\\ 0&\mu_2^2\\ \end{array}\right).$$ From here we deduce that $\mu_1\not=\mu_2$, and for example $\mu_i^2=\lambda_i$. Futhermore, $\mu_1$ can't be a complex number (not real I mean) because we would have $\mu_2 = \bar{\mu_1}$ and $(\mu_1\mu_2)^2=det(D)=1=\vert \mu_1\vert^2$ which is not the case ($\vert \lambda_i\vert\not=1$). This shows that $Y$ has two real eigenvalues, so is diagonalizable. Because $D$ and $Y$ commute they can be simultaneously diagonalizable, which means that $Y$ is in fact diagonal, and so of the form $\left(\begin{array}{cc}\pm\sqrt{\lambda_1}&0\\0&\pm\sqrt{\lambda_2}\\\end{array}\right).$

Finally the solutions of the problem are the matrix of the form $$P\left(\begin{array}{cc}\pm\sqrt{\lambda_1}&0\\0&\pm\sqrt{\lambda_2}\\\end{array}\right)P^{-1}.$$ You just have to find $P$ (you have $P= (X_1~X_2)$ where $PX_i=\lambda_i X_i,~i=1,2$, so there are just two linear systems to solve).

I hope I haven't done any mistake, sorry for my bad English I'm not so good at it!