[Math] Sufficient conditions for $3\times 3$ matrix to be positive definite/semidefinite

inversematricespositive definitepositive-semidefinite

I have a matrix
$$
B=\begin{pmatrix}
0 & b_{12} & b_{13}\\
b_{21} & 0 & b_{23}\\
b_{31} & b_{32} & 0\\
\end{pmatrix}
$$
with $b_{ij}<0$ $\forall i,j$. $B$ is not symmetric.

Could you suggest some sufficient conditions (possibly easily checkable) for $B$ to be positive definite or positive semidefinite?

Best Answer

For a symmetric matrix $B$, it follows from Sylverster's criterion that this is not possible. Positive definiteness requires that $b_{11} > 0$. The second leading principal minor is $-b_{21}b_{21} < 0,$ thus the matrix is also not positive semi-definite.

For non-symmetric matrices $B$, there is no general agreement on what a "positive definite non-symmetric matrix" is.

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