Orthonormal eigenbasis ($⟨e_i,e_j⟩={\delta }_{ij},A{e}_j={\lambda }_j{e}_j$)

An orthonormal eigenbasis of a linear operator is an orthonormal basis consisting of eigenvectors. Each vector can be reconstructed from its scalar components along those mutually perpendicular unit directions. With the convention that the inner product is linear in its first argument,The finite-dimensional spectral theorem supplies such a basis for a self-adjoint operator. In its two-dimensional example, the coordinates of $x=(1,0{)}^T$ are $1/\sqrt{2}$ along $e_{+}$ and $-1/\sqrt{2}$ along $e_{-}$. The operator multiplies those coordinates by $3$ and $1$, and reconstruction gives $Ax=(2,1{)}^T$.

Repeated eigenvalues permit different orthonormal choices within one eigenspace, so the basis need not be unique. The spectral projection of a self-adjoint matrix onto that entire eigenspace is unique: it keeps the geometrically meaningful component without choosing individual axes inside it.