Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors – Change of Basis Matrix

eigenvalues-eigenvectorslinear algebra

If $A$ has an eigenvector $x$ with eigenvalue $\lambda$, find an eigenvector for the matrix $B = S^{-1}AS$. Find the corresponding eigenvalue as well.

Do: $(B-\lambda I)x = 0$

($S^{-1}AS – \lambda I)x = 0$. I am kind of stuck here…

I was thinking about an expression for $A^{-1}$ and minimal polynomials. Is that a good place to start?

Best Answer

Given $A=SBS^{-1}$ and

$$ (\lambda I-A)x=0 \implies (\lambda I- SBS^{-1} )x=0 \implies (\lambda S - SB )S^{-1}x=0 $$

$$ \implies S(\lambda I - B )S^{-1}x=0 \implies (\lambda I - B )S^{-1}x=S^{-1}0=0 .$$

The last equation implies that $B$ has the same eigenvalue as $A$ (which is a fact for the similarity matrices) with the eigenvector $ z=S^{-1}x .$