Past exam of the mathematical methods I course of the University of Oxford 2021 5 a Solution 2026-10-25
The displayed orthogonal matrix transforms the coordinates of a fixed vector, rather than actively moving that vector. Write . Then , so the new unit basis vectors, expressed in the old orthonormal basis, are the columns of :The axes have rotated counterclockwise through , while the coordinate column transforms by the opposite rotation. For the example point , its new coordinates are . Reconstruction gives , confirming that the point is unchanged. The middle panel of the figure in part 1 shows these axes and the signed projections. Since and , lengths and orientation of the basis are preserved.
Past exam of the mathematical methods I course of the University of Oxford 2021 5 b Solution 2026-10-25
Let be a unit vector along the fixed line. The orthogonal projection parallel to the line is ; a reflection keeps that component and reverses its orthogonal complement. ThereforeIts eigenvalues are along and along . It preserves lengths and unsigned areas but reverses orientation. For example, maps to , with their midpoint on the reflection line and their separation perpendicular to it; the right panel of the figure in 1 illustrates this.