Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2024 / ia / Paper 1 / 7B / d

Write the complex similarity matrix aswith $X,Y$ real. From $C=SD{S}^{-1}$ we obtain $CS=SD$, and equating real and imaginary parts givesThereforefor every real $t$.

Now $p(t)=\det (X+tY)$ is a real polynomial andThus some real $t$ has $p(t)\ne 0$. Taking $T=X+tY$, we have a real invertible matrix satisfying $CT=TD$, orThis proves real similarity from complex similarity.