Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-algebra-analysis-and-differential-equations-1-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2012/2/b/iii/solution

In the finite field , the characteristic polynomial becomes
because modulo . Splitting into linear factors does not by itself guarantee diagonalizability: the repeated eigenvalue needs enough eigenvectors.
Solving gives
so and . Hence
has dimension one, although has algebraic multiplicity two. The geometric multiplicity is too small, and is not diagonalizable over . This illustrates diagonalizability depends on the field: characteristic zero gave three distinct eigenvalues, while reduction modulo merges two of them.

New to topics? Read the docs here!