Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2006 / ib / Paper 4 / 11E / b

A finite basis is a generating set, so the preceding determinant trick applies with $R=k$ and $M=V$. If $p(t)=\det (A-tI)$, the map $k[t]\to k[\varphi ]$ sending $t$ to $\varphi$ is a ring homomorphism. Since a determinant is a polynomial expression in its entries, it sends $p(t)$ to $\det (A-\varphi I)=0$. ThusWith the more usual monic characteristic polynomial ${\chi }_A(t)=\det (tI-A)=(-1{)}^{\dim V}p(t)$, this reads ${\chi }_A(\varphi )=0$, the Cayley-Hamilton theorem. If the matrix convention uses column coordinates instead of the row convention above, transpose $A$; its characteristic polynomial is unchanged.