Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-year-2-of-the-natural-sciences-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2025/paper-1/5/b/vi/solution

Complete the square in the Hermitian matrix polynomial:
For every nonzero vector ,
Thus is a positive-definite matrix, so . In finite-dimensional spectral theorem terms, each eigenvalue is
If , the scalar polynomial has real roots of a polynomial
An allowed nonzero root can be an eigenvalue of , a Hermitian matrix which is also an invertible matrix, in which case has a zero eigenvalue. For example, , , gives . The weaker inequality does not force failure for every ; it removes the general positive lower bound. There is also the harmless corner , for which stays positive definite because is invertible, even though the strict discriminant hypothesis is absent.

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