Prove than a square matrix $A$, with complex entries, is diagonalizable if and only if the minimal polynomial of $A$ has distinct roots.

abstract-algebrajordan-normal-formlinear algebramatricesminimal-polynomials

Question: Prove than a square matrix $A$, with complex entries, is diagonalizable if and only if the minimal polynomial of $A$ has distinct roots.

In this answer Prove that T is diagonalizable if and only if the minimal polynomial of T has no repeated roots., the last answer references being able to do this using Jordan Canonical Form. I was wondering if someone could shed some light on this. I know how the minimal polynomial and characteristic polynomial of a matrix affects the Jordan Canonical Form, and so I know that if $m_A(t)$ factors as a product of distinct linear factors, then we have a Jordan Block of size $1$ for each eigenvalue… so $A$ must then be diagonalizable..?

Best Answer

As requested, I'll answer the question in the comments:

If $A$ is diagonalizable then each Jordan block has size $1$.

If $A$ is diagonalisable, then $A$ is similar to a diagonal matrix. Diagonal matrices are automatically in Jordan Canonical Form; they are block diagonal matrices with $1 \times 1$ Jordan cells. This means that one of the Jordan Canonical Forms (they are not, strictly speaking, unique) is a diagonal matrix.

Now, as I say, the JCF is not unique (typically). Of course, there is some rigidity here though: the JCF is unique up to a permutation of the Jordan Blocks along the diagonal. So, if a Jordan block appears in one Jordan Canonical Form of a matrix, then it will appear in every other JCF of the matrix, just in various different positions.

So, to sum up, if $A$, a complex $n \times n$ matrix, is diagonalisable, then $A$ is similar to a diagonal matrix $D$. $D$ is a matrix already in Jordan normal form, as each of the $1 \times 1$ submatrices along the diagonal are (trivially) Jordan Blocks. By the uniqueness result alluded to above, this means that every JCF of the matrix has the same $1 \times 1$ Jordan Blocks.