Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2019/ia/paper-1/7b/b/solution

Eigenvectors belonging to distinct eigenvalues are linearly independent. Under the hypothesis they therefore form a basis . For every ,
because . A linear map that vanishes on a basis is zero, hence
This proves the Cayley-Hamilton theorem in the distinct-eigenvalue case.

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