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eigenvectors

eigenvalues and eigenvectors of a matrix

Syntax
eigenvectors(M: MAT, X: RINGELEM): LIST of RECORD

Description
M must be a matrix of numbers, and X an indeterminate.

This function determines the eigenvalues of M , and for each eigenvalue gives a basis of the corresponding eigenspace -- note that the basis is probably not orthogonal. For irrational eigenvalues, the minimal polynomial of the eigenvalue is given (as a polynomial in X ), along with the eigenvectors expressed in terms of a root of the minimal polynomial (represented as X ).

Example
/**/  Use R ::= QQ[x];
/**/  M := mat([[1,2,3],[4,5,6],[7,8,9]]);
/**/  eigenvectors(M, x);
[record[MinPoly := x, eigenspace := matrix(QQ,
 [[-1],
  [2],
  [-1]])],
record[MinPoly := x^2 -15*x -18,
eigenspace := [[1, (1/8)*x +1/4, (1/4)*x -1/2]]]
]

/**/  M := mat([[0,2,0,0],[1,0,0,0],[0,0,0,2],[0,0,1,0]]);
  eigenvectors(M, x); -- two irrational eigenvalues, each with eigenspace of dimension 2
[record[MinPoly := x^2 -2, eigenspace := [[1, (1/2)*x, 0, 0], [0, 0, 1, (1/2)*x]]]]