[Math] Standard matrix for an orthogonal projection

linear algebramatrices

Someone please help me to with this:

Suppose $P$ is the standard matrix for an orthogonal projection of $\Bbb R^n$ onto a subspace of $\Bbb R^n$. Prove that $I − P$ is the standard matrix for an orthogonal projection of $\Bbb R^n$ onto some subspace.

Best Answer

Fact: $P$ is a projection matrix iff $P^2 = P$.

So, we need to show that $P^2 = P \implies (I-P)^2 = I-P$.

Do you see how to do this?

EDIT: As mentioned by Vedran Šego in the comments below, the above only shows that $P$ is a projection matrix, not necessarily an orthogonal projection matrix. To show that $P$ is an orthogonal projection matrix, we also need to show that $P$ is symmetric $\implies$ $I-P$ is symmetric.

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