Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-algebra-analysis-and-differential-equations-1-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2012/2/b/iii/solution
Past exam of the algebra, analysis and differential equations 1 course of the University of Oxford 2012 2 b iii Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-31
In the finite field , the characteristic polynomial becomesbecause modulo . Splitting into linear factors does not by itself guarantee diagonalizability: the repeated eigenvalue needs enough eigenvectors.
Solving givesso and . Hencehas 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.
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