Questions tagged [linear-algebra]
Questions about the properties of vector spaces and linear transformations, including linear systems in general.
5,875 questions
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Making binary matrix positive semidefinite by switching signs
Let $A \in \{\pm 1\}^{n \times n}$ be a symmetric matrix whose diagonal entries are $+1$. Let $f(A)$ be the smallest number of signs we need to change in $A$ so that it becomes positive semidefinite (...
- 5,590
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473
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Support of eigenvectors
Consider the $N$ by $N$ matrix
$$M_N= \begin{pmatrix} 1+3\lambda & -1-2\lambda & - \lambda & 0 & 0 &0 &0\\
-1-2\lambda & 2+3\lambda & -1 & -\lambda & 0 & 0 &...
- 192
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Isomorphism between a filtered vector space and its associated graded
$\DeclareMathOperator\gr{gr}$Let $ V $ be a vector space with a decreasing filtration
$$
V = F_0 V \supseteq F_1 V \supseteq F_2 V \supseteq\dotsb .$$
We define the associated graded of $ V $ to be $$ ...
- 4,612
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Maximizing the Smallest Eigenvalue of a Diagonally Dominant Matrix
Assume that we have a full-rank diagonally dominant matrix $A$, all the diagonal elements of which are positive, all the non-diagonal elements are negative, and the sum of the absolute values of the ...
- 133
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A bound for the permanent of a nonnegative matrix
Suppose $A=(a_{ij})$ is a symmetric (0,1)-matrix with 1's along the diagonal, and let $A_{ij}$ be the matrix obtained by removing the $i$-th row and $j$-th column.
Based on substantial numerical ...
- 105
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Minimum distance of a symmetric matrix to diagonal matrices
Let $A=(a_{ij})$ be an arbitrary $n \times n$ real symmetric matrix and $n\geq 2$. Let $\| \cdot \|$ denote the operator $2$-norm or equivalently the maximum absolute value of eigenvalues for ...
- 4,484
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Is there a hyperplane avoiding two independent sets?
Let $V$ be a vector space over a field with $5$ elements, $A,B \subseteq V$ independent subsets. Must there be a subspace of $V$ of codimension 1 disjoint from $A \cup B$?
- 11.3k
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Factor a sum of products of cofactors
Let $M$ be any $n\times n$ matrix.
We define the usual cofactors: $C_{i,j}$ is $(-1)^{i+j}$ times the determinant of the submatrix obtained by deleting row $i$ and column $j$ of $M$.
We can write ...
- 2,902
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What are the predictive implications of conditional non-commutative probability?
To simplify things, let's consider the Hilbert approach to quantum probability over a finite dimensional vector space $V$ of dimension $n$.
In this context a state $S$ is a positive semi-definite ...
- 323
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The log transform turns scalar multiplication into addition. Is there an analogous transformation for matrix-vector multiplication?
Napier's method of logarithms and corresponding tables of logarithms provided a important tool to simplify hand computation by converting multiplication and division to equivalent problems of addition ...
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How to transform matrix to this form by unitary transformation?
Without loss of gernerality, we can only consider $n$-dimensional diagonal matrix $M$ whose elements are all nonnegative, i.e.
$$M=\operatorname{diag}(m_1,m_2,\cdots,m_n)\ (m_i \geq 0).$$
Then is ...
- 273
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Special considerations when using the Woodbury matrix identity numerically
Are there any special considerations when using the Woodbury matrix identity numerically? What is the best metric for numerical stability in this case? Can anyone point me to a good reference?
The ...
- 211
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Properties of a matrix-valued generalization of the $\Gamma$ function
I am interested in the following function (Mellin transform of matrix exponential):
$$\int_0^{\infty} x^{s-1} e^{-A-Bx}d x$$
Where $x$ and $s$ are scalars, but $A$ and $B$ are matrices with $B\succ 0$....
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Words and ranks
Let me state two problems that look very much alike. The first one can be solved putting together answers that different people have given to some questions I asked here a few weeks ago. The second ...
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Triangle $X'\to X\to X''\to\Sigma X'$ splits if $X\simeq X'\oplus X''$?
Given a commutative ring $R$ and a distinguished triangle $X'\to X\to X''\xrightarrow e\Sigma X'$ in the derived category $D(R)$, where $X',X,X''$ are perfect complexes. If we have an equivalence $X\...
user20948
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Interpretation of determinants on commutative rings
In real Euclidian space, the result of the determinant can be interpreted as the oriented volume of the image of the unit cube under an invertible linear map.
This interpretation conceptually depends ...
- 323
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Generalized eigen property of a matrix
Given a $n \times n$ invertible matrix $A$, I am interested in the set
$$
\mathcal{S}(A) = \{ D \textrm{ diagonal matrix } \mid \det(D - A) = 0 \}.
$$
Thus, for all eigenvalues $\lambda_i$, we have $...
- 909
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Gram matrix determinant in dimension 4 and $E_8$
Consider a determinant of a Gram matrix in dimension $4$.
$$\begin{vmatrix}
1 & -\cos(\alpha_1) & -\cos(\alpha_2) & -\cos(\alpha_3)\\
-\cos(\alpha_1) & 1 & -\cos(\alpha_6)& -\...
- 4,316
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Maximum dimension of a space of $n\times n$ real matrices with at least $k$ nonzero eigenvalues
Let $M_n(\mathbb{R})$ denote the $n^2$-dimensional real vector space
of real $n\times n$ matrices. Let $\rho_k(n)$ denote the maximum
dimension of a subspace $V$ of $M_n(\mathbb{R})$ such that every
...
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Cospectral mate of rhombic dodecahedron
I am wondering if the following pair of cospectral graphs was previously known.
The rhombic dodecahedron graph looks like this (graph6 string: 'M?????rrAiTOd_YO?'):
As far as I know, it was previously ...
- 2,339
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Dimensions of dual vector spaces
Let $V_F$ be an infinite dimensional right $F$-vector space (over a field $F$, or even over a division ring). The dual space $V^{\ast}={\rm Hom}(V,F)$ is naturally a left $F$-vector space (coming ...
- 18.7k
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A $k \times n$ matrix with a lot of invertible $k \times k$ submatrices over $\mathbb{F}_2$
In the appendix of the paper by Tolhuizen (
http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=841182) there is a very fast and easy probabilistic proof that for $k=cn$ where $c \in [0,1]$ is fixed, ...
- 3,004
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Name for an operation on matrices?
Given two matrices $A$ and $B$ of size $a \times n$ and $b \times m$ consider the following operation $A \dagger B$ whose result is an $a b^n \times n m$ matrix. $A \dagger B$ is a block matrix with $...
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Help me with this proof: Drop a printed map of the land on the land and there must be some common point.
Hi, I have a minor in math and this is not a homework problem - my prof mentioned it 5 years ago and I could not even begin to tackle it until I took a good intro to linear algebra (after work). ...
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Exact short sequences of vector spaces
If possible, how could one prove that every short exact sequence $0 \to A \xrightarrow f B \xrightarrow g C \to 0$ of vector spaces (here $A$, $B$ and $C$) splits without using any basis of $A$, $B$ ...
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For positive definite $A,B$ why does $AB+BA$ tend to be positive definite?
Let $A$ and $B$ be two positive definite $n \times n$ matrices. It is, of course, not true that $AB+BA$ is necessarily positive definite.
Consider, though, the results of the following numerical ...
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2-norm of the upper triangular "all-ones" matrix
Let $M_n$ be the $n\times n$ matrix
$$
(M_n)_{ij}=\begin{cases}1 & i\leq j,\\\\ 0 &i>j.\end{cases}
$$
Is there around an explicit expression or at least an asymptotic for $\left\Vert M_n \...
- 20.2k
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How to approximate a solution to a matrix equation? [closed]
Suppose a matrix equation $Ax = b$ has no solution ($b$ is not in the column space of $A$)
How can I find a vector $x^\prime$ so that $Ax^\prime$ is the closest possible vector to $b$?
- 461
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Direct proof of unique invariant distribution for ergodic, positive-recurrent Markov chain
I posted the following question on MSE, feeling that it perhaps isn't research level mathematics, but didn't get any bites. So, I am crossposting here.
The following ergodic theorem is well known.
...
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Inverse of special upper triangular matrix
Consider the following $n \times n$ upper triangular matrix with a particularly nice structure:
\begin{equation}\mathbf{P} = \begin{pmatrix}
1 & \beta & \alpha+\beta & \dots & (n-3)\...
- 230
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Set of Positive Definite matrices with determinant > 1 forms a convex set
While reading a paper An Arithmetic Proof of John’s Ellipsoid Theorem by Gruber and Schuster, I have a question on their proof.
Consider an $n\times n$ real symmetric and positive definite matrix $\...
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Spheres over rational numbers and other fields
Let K be an ordered field. Define the n-sphere:
$$S^n(K) := \{ (x_1,x_2,\dots,x_n+1) \in K^{n+1} \mid \sum_{i=1}^{n+1} x_i^2 = 1 \}$$
A set of vectors $v_1, v_2, \dots, v_r \in S^n(K)$ is ...
- 7,320
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I want to find a smooth section of the map from the Stiefel manifold to the Grassmanian manifold
The following question is related to research I am doing on reinforcement learning on manifolds.
I have a set of basis vectors $\boldsymbol{B} = \{\boldsymbol{b}_1,\dots,\boldsymbol{b}_k\}$ that span ...
- 155
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What happens to eigenvalues when edges are removed?
I am stuck at the following :
Let $G$ be a graph and $A$ is its adjacency matrix.
Let the eigenvalues of $A$ be $\lambda_1\le \lambda_2\leq \cdots \leq \lambda_n$.
If we remove some edges from the ...
- 444
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Conjugacy classes of PGL(3,Z)
We know that every $2\times 2$ matrix in $PGL(2, \mathbb{Z})$ of order $3$ is conjugate to the matrix $$ \left( \begin{array}{cc} 1 & -1 \\ 1 & 0 \end{array} \right) $$.
I am interested in ...
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Use of traces in physics
This is borderline physics, but I'll post here first as it relates to a mathematical concept.
I was wondering if anyone could clarify what the physical significance is of traces, whether of matrices ...
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Which computer algebra system should I be using to solve large systems of sparse linear equations over a number field?
This is related to Noah's recent question about solving quadratics in a number field, but about an even earlier and easier step.
Suppose I have a huge system of linear equations, say ~10^6 equations ...
- 7,800
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What is the minimal number of symmetric generators of the full matrix algebra?
Is there any lower bound known for the minimal number of generators needed to generate the full matrix algebra of real $n\times n$ matrices — when using only symmetric matrices for the generators?
...
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Basis for the Algebraic numbers over the rationals
Is there an explicit basis for the algebraic numbers as a vector space over the rationals?
- 656
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Eigenvectors of a certain big upper triangular matrix
I'm looking at this matrix:
$$
\begin{pmatrix}
1 & 1/2 & 1/8 & 1/48 & 1/384 & \dots \\
0 & 1/2 & 1/4 & 1/16 & 1/96 & \dots \\
0 & 0 & 1/8 & 1/16 &...
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$G$-module structure of the relation module for a presentation of a finite group $G$
Let $F_n$ be a free group of rank $n\ge 2$, and $F_n\rightarrow G$ a surjection with $G$ finite. Let $R$ be the kernel. From this, we get an action of $G$ on the abelianization $R/R'$ (a free abelian ...
- 7,527
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Constructivist defininition of linear subspaces of $\mathbb{Q}^n$?
Let me preface this by saying I'm not someone who has every studied mathematical logic or philosophy of math, so I may be mangling terminology here (and the title is a little tongue in cheek).
I (and ...
- 2,478
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Degree of the variety of independent matrices of rank $\leq r$?
Consider an $m$-by-$n$ matrix $A$ with entries in a field $k$; we can see $A$ as a point in the affine space $\mathbb{A}^{m n}$. The rank of $A$ will be $\leq r$ (where $r<\min(m,n)$) if and only ...
- 20.2k
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Question on eigenvalue square root subadditivity
ORIGINAL QUESTION
Let $\lambda_{1}\left(\cdot\right)$ be the larger eigenvalue of a
$2\times2$ matrix and $\lambda_{2}\left(\cdot\right)$ the smaller
eigenvalue of a $2\times2$ matrix. Is it true ...
- 91
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Spectrum of orthogonality graph (2)
The orthogonality graph, $\Omega(n)$, has vertex set the set of $\pm 1$ vectors of length $n$, with orthogonal vectors being adjacent.
I am only interested when $4|n$, since otherwise $\Omega(n)$ is ...
- 421
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738
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Certain matrices of interesting determinant
Let $M_n$ be the $n\times n$ matrix with entries
$$\binom{i}{2j}+\binom{j}{2i}, \qquad \text{for $1\leq i,j\leq n$}.$$
QUESTION. Is this true? There is some evidence. The determinant $\det(M_{2n+1})...
- 43.2k
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338
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Does $End(V)$ remember $V$, where $V$ is a locally convex space?
Let $V$ be a locally convex topological vector space over $\mathbb C$, and let $A=\mathrm{End}(V)$ be its algebra of continuous linear endomorphisms (viewed just as a $\mathbb{C}$-algebra, not as a ...
- 43.2k
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Tensor product of linear mappings versus chain complexes
A chain complex of vector spaces $X_k$ is a sequence of linear mappings
$\dots \overset{d_{k-1}}{\longrightarrow} X_k \overset{d_{k}}{\longrightarrow} X_{k+1} \overset{d_{k+1}}{\longrightarrow} \dots$...
- 5,327
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(Elementary?) combinatorial identity expressing binomial coefficients as an alternating sum over permutations.
Background
I came up with this while trying to find a sort of high-level exposition of the exterior algebra of a vector space. Let $V$ be a vector space of dimension $n$ over $\mathbb{C}$, and let $...
- 8,559
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Examples of combinatorial problems where the only known solutions, or most "natural" solutions, use representation theory?
In Solution of two difficult combinatorial problems with linear algebra, Robert Proctor presents two simply stated combinatorial problems, and gives solutions to them using a linear algebraic approach ...