Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2012 / ia / Paper 1 / 8B / b

For a real orthogonal matrix, $P^{T}P=I$. ConsequentlyThus it preserves every real inner product, and in particular lengths and angles.

An eigenvalue can be complex even though $P$ is real, so use the complex Hermitian inner product. For a nonzero complex eigenvector $\mathbf{v}$, the real orthogonal matrix also satisfies $P^{\ast }P=P^{T}P=I$. Henceand $\boxed{|\lambda |=1}$. Taking complex conjugates in $P\mathbf{v}=\lambda \mathbf{v}$ gives $P\overline{\mathbf{v}}=\overline{\lambda }\overline{\mathbf{v}}$ because $P$ is real. The conjugate vector is nonzero, so $\boxed{{\lambda }^{\ast }=\overline{\lambda }\text{ is also an eigenvalue}}$.

For the unheaded geometrical conclusion, the third eigenvalue of $Q$ must be real: nonreal eigenvalues of a real matrix occur in conjugate pairs. Its modulus is one, so it is $1$ or $-1$. Exact algebraic multiplicity two for $1$ excludes a third $1$, leaving $-1$. By the supplied diagonalisability fact, the $1$-eigenspace is a two-dimensional plane and the $-1$-eigenspace is a line. They are orthogonal: preservation of the inner product between a fixed vector and a negated vector gives $\mathbf{u}\cdot \mathbf{v}=-\mathbf{u}\cdot \mathbf{v}$. Therefore $Q$ is the orthogonal reflection in its fixed plane. It fixes the two tangential directions and reverses the normal direction; with unit normal $\mathbf{n}$, $Q=I-2\mathbf{n}{\mathbf{n}}^T$.