Diagonalizability of a matrix containing smaller diagonalizable matrices

In summary, given matrices R, A, and D, with A and D both diagonalizable and not sharing any identical eigenvalues, it can be shown that R is diagonalizable by building eigenvectors for R using the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of A and D. This can be done by constructing a set of eigenvalues and vectors for R and showing that there can be no other eigenvalues than those of A and D. This can be proven by noting that an n degree monic polynomial, which represents the characteristic polynomial of R, can have at most n roots. Additionally, the problem can be shown to be equivalent to the solvability of the Sylvester Equation.
  • #1
oferon
30
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Given [itex]R\in M_n(F)[/itex] and two matrices [itex]A\in M_{n1}(F)[/itex] and [itex]D\in M_{n2}(F)[/itex] where [itex]n1+n2=n[/itex]
[itex]R = \begin{pmatrix} A & B \\ 0 & D \end{pmatrix}[/itex]
Given A,D both diagonalizable (over F), and don't share any identical eigenvalues - show R is diagonalizable.

I'm building eigenvectors for R, based on the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of A and D.
for example, suppose [itex]λ_1 [/itex] is eigenvalue of A with eigenvector [itex]V = \begin{pmatrix} V1 \\ V2 \\. \\. \\. \end{pmatrix}[/itex], then taking [itex]U = \begin{pmatrix} V1 \\ V2 \\. \\. \\0 \\0\\0\end{pmatrix}[/itex] would give [itex]R*U = λ_1*U[/itex] thus λ1,U are eigenvalue and vector of R

I do the same using D. So now I have a set of eigenvalues and vectors of R.
But, how can I tell that R has no other eigenvalues other than those of A and D and thus is diagonalizable?
 
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  • #2
oferon said:
Given [itex]R\in M_n(F)[/itex] and two matrices [itex]A\in M_{n1}(F)[/itex] and [itex]D\in M_{n2}(F)[/itex] where [itex]n1+n2=n[/itex]
...
But, how can I tell that R has no other eigenvalues other than those of A and D and thus is diagonalizable?
because the algebraic multiplicity is ##n## and an n degree monic (characteristic) polynomial has at most n roots. There can be no more eigenvalues than this.
- - - - -
It is a standard, though perhaps subtle, exercise to show that your problem is equivalent to solvability of the following Sylvester Equation

##\mathbf {AX} - \mathbf{XD} = \mathbf B##
 

Related to Diagonalizability of a matrix containing smaller diagonalizable matrices

What is diagonalizability of a matrix?

Diagonalizability is a property of a square matrix where it can be transformed into a diagonal matrix through a similarity transformation. This means that the matrix can be expressed as a product of a diagonal matrix and an invertible matrix.

What does it mean for a matrix to contain smaller diagonalizable matrices?

This means that the larger matrix can be broken down into smaller matrices that are diagonalizable. In other words, the larger matrix can be expressed as a block diagonal matrix where each block contains a diagonalizable matrix.

How do you determine if a matrix is diagonalizable?

A matrix is diagonalizable if it has a full set of linearly independent eigenvectors. This means that the matrix must have as many distinct eigenvalues as its size, and these eigenvalues must have corresponding eigenvectors that span the entire space.

Can a non-square matrix be diagonalizable?

No, a non-square matrix cannot be diagonalizable. Diagonalization requires the matrix to be square in order to have the same number of eigenvalues and eigenvectors.

What is the importance of diagonalizability in linear algebra?

Diagonalizability is important because it simplifies calculations and makes it easier to understand the behavior of a matrix. It also allows for efficient computations involving powers of the matrix and solving systems of linear equations.

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