[Math] Finding a non-zero vector in both the column space and the null space of a nilpotent matrix

linear algebramatricesnilpotence

$A$ is a $ \displaystyle 10 \times 10 $ matrix such that $A^{3} = 0$ but $A^{2} \neq 0$ and therefore, by definition, $A$ is nilpotent. Is there a non-zero vector that lies in both the column space and null space of $A$? This would mean that the $\text{col}(A) \cap \text{nul}(A) \neq {0}$, right?

Best Answer

Hint Since $A^3 = 0$, every vector in the image of $A^2$ is in the null space of $A$.

(Note that the matrix size is irrelevant, and that this argument works for any nonzero nilpotent matrix by modifying the exponent appropriately.)