Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2023 / ia / Paper 1 / 8B (Vectors and Matrices)

A real matrix is orthogonal when $Q^{T}Q=I$. If $Qv=\lambda v$, norm preservation gives $|\lambda |=1$. If $Qv=\lambda v$ and $Qw=\mu w$, preservation of the Hermitian inner product gives $(1-\overline{\lambda }\mu )v^{†}w=0$; distinct unit-modulus eigenvalues therefore have orthogonal eigenvectors.

The nonreal eigenvalues of a real $3\times 3$ matrix occur in conjugate pairs. Since their product is one and $\det Q=-1$, the remaining real eigenvalue is $-1$. If $x\cdot n=0$, then $(Qx)\cdot (Qn)=x\cdot n=0$, and $Qn=-n$, so $Qx\cdot n=0$: the plane $\Pi$ is invariant.

The restriction to $\Pi$ is a planar orthogonal map whose determinant is $(-1)/(-1)=1$, hence a rotation through some $\theta$. In an orthonormal basis adapted to $n$,Therefore $\mathrm{tr}Q=-1+2\cos \theta$ and