[Math] Why the adjacency matrix of a tree can be written as $N + N^T$ where $N$ is nilpotent

graph theorymatricesnilpotencetrees

I'm interested in looking for properties of adjacency matrices of trees.
On one comment of this question: https://mathoverflow.net/questions/89692/if-graph-is-tree-what-can-be-said-about-its-adjacency-matrix,
Some one answered that every adjacency matrix of tree can be written as $N + N^T$ by picking a vertex as root and follow the edges.

It seems reasonable. However, I can't think of a more rigorous proof of it.
Can someone help provide some insights?
Thanks!

Best Answer

:-) OK, you are looking worthy so I reveal to you a secret which may be not known to these graph theorists who did not study matrix theory: each symmetric square matrix $A=\|a_{ij}\|$ with zeroes on the diagonal (in particular, any adjacency matrix of a finite simple graph) can be represented as $A=N+N^T$, where $N=\|n_{ij}\|$ is nilponent (for each $i,j$ we put $n_{ij}=a_{ij}$, if $i<j$ and $n_{ij}=0$, otherwise).

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