Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 ii Paper 4 40C a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
For a nonzero real vector , the Rayleigh quotient of the matrix isThe Rayleigh quotient iteration starts from a unit vector . Given , compute the shiftsolve the linear systemand normalize in the Euclidean norm:The next eigenvalue estimate is . The process stops when the eigenpair residual is sufficiently small.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ia Paper 1 6C a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ia Paper 1 7B a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
The proposed noncyclic interchange is false. With matrix units,one hasTrace is invariant under cyclic permutations, but an arbitrary swap need not be cyclic.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ia Paper 1 7B d Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Write the complex similarity matrix aswith real. From we obtain , and equating real and imaginary parts givesThereforefor every real .
Now is a real polynomial andThus some real has . Taking , we have a real invertible matrix satisfying , orThis proves real similarity from complex similarity.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ia Paper 1 7B e Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Eigenvectors belonging to distinct eigenvalues are linearly independent. Indeed, supposeis a shortest nontrivial relation, where and the are distinct. Applying givesa shorter nontrivial relation, a contradiction.
Thus distinct eigenvalues provide a basis of eigenvectors, proving that is diagonalizable over . If is real and all its eigenvalues are real, each real singular matrix has a nonzero real null vector. Choosing one for each eigenvalue gives a real eigenbasis. Hence the real matrix is diagonalizable over . This is the distinct eigenvalues imply diagonalizability criterion.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ia Paper 1 8B b iii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-03
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ia Paper 1 8B b ii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
A complex matrix is unitary matrix whenIf with , unitarity preserves norms, soTherefore every eigenvalue satisfies
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ia Paper 1 8B d ii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ia Paper 3 12B iv Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Both sides are alternating in and in . If either triple repeats an index, both sides vanish. Otherwise each triple is a permutation of ; the determinant of the corresponding permutation matrix is exactly the product of the two permutation signs. HenceThere are nonzero components of , each equal to , so
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ia Paper 3 2D i Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
The special orthogonal group isIfits first column is a unit vector, say . The second column is the unique unit vector perpendicular to it that gives positive determinant, namely . Thusso is rotation through about the origin.
For , its real characteristic polynomial of odd degree has a real eigenvalue. Every eigenvalue of an orthogonal matrix has modulus one, so every real eigenvalue is . Nonreal eigenvalues occur in conjugate pairs whose product is one, while ; if all eigenvalues are real, their product likewise forces at least one to be . Hence fixes a nonzero vector . The plane is -invariant, and the restriction to it is an orientation-preserving orthogonal map. By the result it is a planar rotation. Therefore is a rotation about the axis .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ia Paper 3 5D i Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
For , let be its permutation matrix and define the sign of a permutation bySince ,so this is a homomorphism. A transposition interchanges two columns of the identity matrix and therefore has determinant . If is expressed as a product of transpositions, then ; because the determinant depends only on , the parity of is independent of the chosen expression.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ia Paper 3 8D b iii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
There are four main diagonals and the action is transitive, so the stabilizer of one has orderFor the diagonal spanned by , the stabilizing signed permutation matrices are and with a permutation matrix. HenceThe action is not faithful: both and the central inversion fix every main diagonal setwise. In fact its kernel is exactly .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ib Paper 1 17A Solution Created 2026-09-23 Updated 2026-09-25
A Givens rotation is the identity except in rows and columns , where it has the blockFor and , choosewhen . ThenIf both entries vanish, any angle works.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ib Paper 1 1G Solution Created 2026-09-23 Updated 2026-09-25
For a linear map , its rank is and its nullity is . The rank-nullity theorem states that, when is finite-dimensional,To prove it, take a basis of and extend it to a basisof . The vectors span . They are also linearly independent: if , then , and independence of the chosen basis forces every to vanish. Thus the rank is and the nullity is .