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For equal masses $m$, wall-spring constants $k_1,k_2$, and coupling-spring constant $k_3$, the small-oscillation mass and stiffness matrices areIf $k_1=k(1+\epsilon \delta )$, $k_2=k(1-\epsilon \delta )$, and $k_3=k\epsilon$, the squared normal frequencies are

The kinetic energy of the three unit masses is $\frac{1}{2}{\sum }_i{\dot{x}}_i^2$. Expanding the potential givesThus the small-oscillation mass and stiffness matrices arewhere $J$ is the all-ones matrix.

The vector $(1,1,1{)}^T$ is an eigenvector of the stiffness matrix with eigenvalue $1$. Every vector orthogonal to it has coordinate sum zero and is an eigenvector with eigenvalue $4$. Since $T=I$, the generalized eigenvalue problem for small oscillations gives ${\omega }^2$ equal to these eigenvalues. One orthonormal choice of normal modes isThe last two may be replaced by any orthonormal basis of the sum-zero plane because the frequency is degenerate. Hence the normal frequencies are $\boxed{1,2,2}$.

The kinetic energy of the two equal masses isThe extensions of the left, coupling, and right springs are respectively $x_1$, $x_2-x_1$, and $x_2$. Their potential energy is thereforeThus the mechanical Lagrangian $L=T-U$ has the requested quadratic form with the symmetric small-oscillation mass and stiffness matrices

Taking downward distance as positive, the Lagrangian is

At equilibrium the lower spring supports only the lower mass, while the upper spring supports both masses:Hence

Let $q_i=z_i-z_i^{(0)}$. The linear terms cancel by the equilibrium equations, and the quadratic Lagrangian iswith the small-oscillation mass and stiffness matrices

The generalized eigenvalue problem for small oscillations isIts characteristic equation issoCorresponding displacement eigenvectors are

They are not orthogonal in the ordinary Euclidean inner product. They are orthogonal in the kinetic-energy, or mass-matrix, inner product:This is mass-matrix orthogonality of normal modes.