Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2007/ia/paper-3/7d/iv/solution

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The real eigenvalues are one and two, with eigenlines spanned by and respectively. These independent vectors form a real eigenbasis, so is a diagonalizable matrix over . Their inner product is one, and any two nonzero vectors on those eigenlines have nonzero inner product. Rescaling can normalize their lengths but cannot make them orthogonal. Hence no orthonormal eigenbasis exists.

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