Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2003/ia/paper-1/5b/b/i/solution

Since and , is an orthogonal matrix in the special orthogonal group. It also satisfies and thus preserves the dot product. Normalize the fixed eigenvector to . For ,
so the orthogonal complement of the fixed axis is invariant. Choose an oriented orthonormal basis . In this basis the matrix has form , where is a real orthogonal matrix of determinant one.
Write the first column of as . Its unit second column must be perpendicular to the first; positivity of the determinant selects . Thus , and fixes the axis through while rotating its perpendicular plane by . Since trace is invariant under change of basis,
This proves that is the required axial rotation. The trace determines the unsigned angle; the action in the oriented perpendicular plane determines its sign. The identity case has angle zero and any axis.

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