[Math] Jordan Canonical Form of a matrix

linear algebramatrices

Determine the Jordan canonical form of the matrix: $\quad\begin{bmatrix} -7 & 9 \\ -4 & 5 \end{bmatrix}$

Best Answer

Hints, to find the Jordan Normal Form, we can use the following approach (and others are possible too):

  • (1) Find the eigenvalues (we have a multiplicity $2$ eigenvalue $\lambda_{1,2} = -1$)
  • (2) Find the eigenvectors (we find one eigenvector and a second generalized eigenvector)
  • (3) Write $A = P \cdot J \cdot P^{-1}$, where $J$ is the Jordan block (eigenvalues) and P is the corresponding eigenvectors.

Updates

To find the eigenvalues/eigenvectors, we set up and solve the characteristic polynomial $|A - \lambda I| = 0$, so we get ($v_i's$ are the eigenvectors):

  • $\lambda_1 = -1, ~v_1 = (3, 2)$
  • $\lambda_2 = -1, ~v_2 = (-\dfrac{1}{2}, 0)$

Jordan Form

The JF is given by:

$$A = PJP^{-1} = \begin{bmatrix}3 & -1/2\\2 & 0\end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix}-1 & 1\\0 & -1\end{bmatrix} \cdot \begin{bmatrix}0 & 1/2\\-2 & 3\end{bmatrix}$$

Note what makes up $J$ and the columns of $P$.