Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2016 / ia / Paper 1 / 7B / Solution

A matrix is a diagonalizable matrix if there is an invertible matrix $P$ for which $P^{-1}MP$ is diagonal. Its columns then form a basis of eigenvectors, and the diagonal entries are their corresponding eigenvalues.

Here the given eigenvectors form an orthonormal basis. Put them into the columns of $Q$:Define $\Lambda =Q^{T}MQ$. Its entries areThis proves the claimed diagonalization of a matrix, rather than merely guessing it:The trace follows directly from this factorization:because each column of $Q$ has unit length. Trace is the sum of the eigenvalues, with multiplicity.

For the particular matrix, $(M^2{)}_{ij}={\sum }_k{M}_{ik}{M}_{kj}$. If $i=j$, every $k\ne i$ contributes one and $k=i$ contributes zero. If $i\ne j$, precisely $k=i$ and $k=j$ contribute zero; the other $n-2$ terms contribute one. ThusApplying this identity to a nonzero eigenvector givesEvery eigenvalue is therefore $n-1$ or $-1$.

If $r$ is the multiplicity of $n-1$, the trace formula for a diagonalizable matrix and the zero diagonal giveso $r=1$. Up to ordering, the required diagonal form isFor $n=1$ this means just $(0)$. For $n\ge 2$, the eigendirections are also transparent: the all-ones vector has eigenvalue $n-1$, and the $(n-1)$-dimensional subspace whose coordinate sum is zero has eigenvalue $-1$, since $(M\mathbf{x}{)}_i={\sum }_j{x}_j-x_i$. The spectrum consists of one collective mode and $n-1$ zero-sum modes.