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Questions tagged [linear-algebra]

Questions about the properties of vector spaces and linear transformations, including linear systems in general.

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1 answer
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a Vandermonde-type of determinants summed over permutations

Let $S_n$ be the symmetric group. Consider $$D:=\sum_{\sigma\in S_n} \text{sgn}(\sigma)\cdot \det\begin{pmatrix}1 & a_{\sigma(1)}-0 & (a_{\sigma(1)}-0)^2 & \cdots & (a_{\sigma(1)}-0)^{...
Fan Ge's user avatar
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14 votes
4 answers
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Eigenvalues of a sum of Hermitian positive definite circulant matrix and a positive diagonal matrix

Suppose I have a real $n\times n$ matrix $\mathbf{C}$ that is Hermitian, positive-definite, and circulant. We know that its eigenvalues $\{\lambda_0,\ldots,\lambda_{n-1}\}$ are extraordinarily nice ...
Bullmoose's user avatar
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Is this "semi-tensor product" something recently invented? Are there other usages of it?

The context: I was reading a paper in which they used the following definition called "Semi-Tensor Product" (STP) or "Cheng" product (In honor to its "inventor" D. Cheng):...
FeedbackLooper's user avatar
14 votes
2 answers
606 views

Condition number of matrix after partial orthogonalization

I'm wondering about which bounds one can put on the condition number of a $n\times n$ square matrix which is obtained from another $n\times n$ square matrix by orthogonalizing the first $m < n$ ...
Michael Wimmer's user avatar
14 votes
0 answers
602 views

Is the Zariski density proof of Cayley-Hamilton circular?

This old MO thread and its comments contains a discussion of the Zariski density proof of Cayley-Hamilton (I have also asked a separate question about the proof Victor gives in the comments here). ...
Qiaochu Yuan's user avatar
14 votes
0 answers
810 views

Cardinality vs. isomorphism type of vector spaces without choice

One of the classical uses of the existence of bases of vector spaces (which is equivalent to the axiom of choice) is the following theorem: If $V$ is an infinite vector space over a field $F$, and $...
Asaf Karagila's user avatar
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14 votes
0 answers
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Who stated and proved the "Hopf lemma" on bilinear maps?

If $A\otimes B\rightarrow C$ is a nondegenerate linear map, where $A, B, C$ are vector spaces over an algebraically closed field, then $\dim C\ge \dim A + \dim B -1$. Nondegenerate here means that ...
quim's user avatar
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13 votes
8 answers
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What is the difference between matrix theory and linear algebra? [closed]

Hi, Currently, I'm taking matrix theory, and our textbook is Strang's Linear Algebra. Besides matrix theory, which all engineers must take, there exists linear algebra I and II for math majors. What ...
kolistivra's user avatar
13 votes
7 answers
4k views

Status of the Hadamard Circulant conjecture

The following feels like a community wiki question, so I do it here: Recently we have heard of a new proof of the Circulant Hadamard conjecture of Ryser (a long standing difficult conjecture): ...
13 votes
3 answers
2k views

Relationship between determinants.

Given an orthogonal matrix $O$ with dimensions $4n \times 4n$ and $\det O = -1$, how to prove that $\det[O_{11} - O_{22} + i (O_{12} + O_{21})] = 0$? Here $O$ is a block matrix $[[O_{11}, O_{12}], [...
Anton Akhmerov's user avatar
13 votes
3 answers
2k views

Eigenvalue pattern

We consider a matrix $$M_{\mu} = \begin{pmatrix} 1 & \mu & 1 & 0 \\ -\mu & 1 & 0 & 1 \\ -1 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ 0 &-1 & 0 & 0 \end{pmatrix}$$ One easily ...
Dreifuss's user avatar
  • 133
13 votes
4 answers
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Determining if a matrix is orthogonal

Let g be an element of $GL_n(\mathbb C)$. We know that there are orthogonal groups $O(\beta)=\{X\in GL_n(\mathbb C) \mid X^t\beta X=\beta\}$ for any $\beta$, invertible symmetric matrix. Though these ...
Anupam Singh's user avatar
13 votes
2 answers
1k views

Is the Characteristic of a Field Detectable from the Topology of a Topological Vector Space?

Motivation A topological vector space is a vector space over a (topological) field, K, that carries a topology such that addition and scalar multiplication are continuous maps, e.g., all normed vector ...
Charlie Cunningham's user avatar
13 votes
2 answers
915 views

Topological vector spaces (reference request)

In his book Topological Function Spaces Arhangel'skii says that "it is well known that every nontrivial locally convex linear topological space $X$ is homeomorphic to a space of the form $Y \...
Peluso's user avatar
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13 votes
3 answers
419 views

Finite sets of vectors closed under an orthogonality property

Say that a set $X \subset \mathbf{S}^{d-1}$ is ortho-closed if for any set $\{x_1,\dots,x_{d-1}\} \subset X$ there exists $x \in X$ such that $\langle x,x_i \rangle = 0$ for $i=1,\dots,d-1$. (...
paul's user avatar
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13 votes
2 answers
4k views

Writing a matrix as a sum of two invertible matrices

Let $n\geq 2$. Is it true that any $n\times n$ matrix with entries from a given ring (with identity) can be written as a sum of two invertible matrices with entries from the same ring ?
user avatar
13 votes
2 answers
801 views

Irreducible representation of $S_n$: contained in tensor powers of the standard representation?

Let $S_n$ be the permutation group and $V = \operatorname{Fun}(X,\mathbb{k})$ functions from $X=\{1,\dotsc,n\}$ to some field $\mathbb{k}$. How can I prove that every irreducible representation of $...
Eggon Viana's user avatar
13 votes
3 answers
1k views

Is $-\det\big[\big(\frac{i^2+j^2}p\big)\big]_{1\le i,j\le (p-1)/2}$ always a square for each prime $p\equiv 3\pmod 4$?

Let $p$ be an odd prime and let $S_p$ denote the determinant $$\det\left[\left(\frac{i^2+j^2}p\right)\right]_{1\le i,j\le (p-1)/2}$$ with $(\frac{\cdot}p)$ the Legendre symbol. By Theorem 1.2 of my ...
Zhi-Wei Sun's user avatar
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13 votes
3 answers
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Signature of a quadratic form

This may be a really dumb question, but here goes: is there any algorithm to compute the signature of a quadratic form (or a symmetric matrix, if you prefer) more efficient (asymptotically or ...
Igor Rivin's user avatar
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13 votes
2 answers
730 views

Concrete representation of coend in linear algebra

$\require{AMScd}$Teaching coend calculus to a PhD student led me to this "elementary" computation that I would like to perform explicitly. Consider the functor $F : (\mathbb N,\le)^\text{op}\...
fosco's user avatar
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13 votes
2 answers
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Parametrization of positive semidefinite matrices

We know that a real, symmetric, positive definite matrix $A$ of size $n\times n$ can be parametrized by a vector $\theta$ of $\frac{n(n+1)}{2}$ parameters thanks to the Cholesky decomposition: $$ A = ...
epsilone's user avatar
  • 313
13 votes
3 answers
2k views

Linear algebra underlying quantum entanglement?

Hope this question is appropriate. I think I saw certain claims that quantum entanglement is a certain phenomena that can be explained (or modelled) in terms of tensor products in linear algebra. I ...
aglearner's user avatar
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13 votes
2 answers
1k views

Action of SL(2,Z) on upper triangular primitive integer matrices of determinant N, from the right. Is it transitive?

I am porting this question across from StackExchange, since it has received no answers and perhaps is sufficiently deep to fit here. I am considering the set of upper triangular matrices $$D_N=\left\...
Haden Spence's user avatar
13 votes
4 answers
2k views

Rational congruence of binomial coefficient matrices

Skip Garibaldi asks if there is an elementary proof of the following fact that "accidentally" fell out of some high-powered machinery he was working on. Say that two matrices $A$ and $B$ over the ...
Timothy Chow's user avatar
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13 votes
4 answers
2k views

Groups of matrices in which all elements have all eigenvalues equal in modulus

I am writing a research article in which I need to use the following fact: if $G$ is a subgroup of $GL_3(\mathbb{R})$ which is irreducible in the sense that no proper nontrivial subspace of $\mathbb{R}...
Ian Morris's user avatar
  • 6,206
13 votes
4 answers
3k views

Multivariate analogue of Vandermonde determinant

Dear all, Consider the $(n+1)\times (n+1)$ matrix $A$ with indeterminates $X_i, Y_i$, $0\leq i\leq n$ such that the $(i,j)$-th entry is given by $X_i^jY_i^{n-j}$. The $i$-th row is $(X_i^n,X_i^{n-1}...
Zeyu's user avatar
  • 537
13 votes
3 answers
2k views

Which polynomials are determinants of a symmetric matrix with linear entries?

Let $k$ be a field. Can each degree $n$ polynomial $P(t) \in k[t]$ be written as the determinant of the matrix $A + tB$, where $A$ and $B$ are two symmetric $(n \times n)$-matrices with entries in $k$?...
Wanderer's user avatar
  • 5,163
13 votes
2 answers
697 views

in search of a transformation between determinants

Motivated by this MO question. Consider the two matrices $A_n$ and $B_n$ with entries $\binom{2j}i$ and $\binom{n+1}{2j-i}$, respectively; for $1\leq i, \,j\leq n$. I can show $\det A_n=\det B_n=2^{\...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
13 votes
3 answers
3k views

How do we show this matrix has full rank?

I met with the following difficulty reading the paper Li, Rong Xiu "The properties of a matrix order column" (1988): Define the matrix $A=(a_{jk})_{n\times n}$, where $$a_{jk}=\begin{cases} j+...
math110's user avatar
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13 votes
1 answer
2k views

Number of idempotent $n\times n$ matrices over $\mathbb{Z}/m\mathbb{Z}$?

Is there any known formula for the number of idempotent $n\times n$ matrices over $\mathbb{Z}_m:=\mathbb{Z}/m\mathbb{Z}$ ? The number of idempotent matrices over a finite field is well-known and ...
user avatar
13 votes
2 answers
8k views

AC in group isomorphism between R and R^2

Using the axiom of choice, one can show that $\mathbb{R}$ and $\mathbb{R}^2$ are isomorphic as additive groups. In particular, they are both vector spaces over $\mathbb{Q}$ and AC gives bases of ...
Noah Stein's user avatar
  • 8,491
13 votes
3 answers
746 views

Is there a row vector $x$ with integer entries such that no entry of $xM$ is $0 \text{ (mod }p\text{)}$?

Let $p$ be a prime and let $M$ be an $n \times m$ matrix with integer entries such that $M\vec{v} \not\equiv \vec{0} \text{ (mod }p\text{)}$ for any column vector $\vec{v} \neq \vec{0}$ whose entries ...
Analysis Student's user avatar
13 votes
1 answer
580 views

Identifying two definitions of orientation on a vector space

Let $V$ be an $n$-dimensional real vector space. Here are two definitions of an orientation on $V$: A generator of the $1$-dimensional vector space $\wedge^n V$, up to multiplication by positive ...
Jean's user avatar
  • 133
13 votes
1 answer
1k views

Does almost every point in Euclidean space have unique projection on any given set?

I am stuck at one point in my research, where I need to prove something which appears trivial to me, but cannot find a rigorous proof. I describe it below. Whenever I will say projection, I will mean ...
abcd's user avatar
  • 367
13 votes
1 answer
496 views

Functorial multiplication on commutative rings

Let $C$ be the category of associative commutative rings with 1 and let $F:C\to C$ be a functor which commutes with the forgetful functor to abelian groups (i.e. $F$ is a functorial way to define ...
Alexander Braverman's user avatar
13 votes
2 answers
913 views

Almost Hadamard matrices

As well-known, a Hadamard matrix is a square matrix with all coefficients $\pm 1$ and pairwise orthogonal rows or columns. Such matrices exist conjecturally in every dimension divisible by $4$. Call ...
Roland Bacher's user avatar
13 votes
4 answers
3k views

subspaces of singular matrices

Let $A$, $B$ be square matrices over infinite field (we identify them with linear operators on the vector space of columns). It is given that for all scalars $a,b$ the matrix $aA+bB$ is singular. Does ...
Fedor Petrov's user avatar
13 votes
2 answers
653 views

The geometry of $\mathbb{R}^n$

Let $X,Y$ be finite-dimensional real normed spaces. Consider the set of linear operators $L(X,Y)$ between the two spaces. Then we define the set of equivalence classes $$G(X,Y):=\left\{[T]; T,S \in ...
Sascha's user avatar
  • 536
13 votes
1 answer
1k views

An inequality for the spectral radius of matrices used by J. Bochi

I am interested in the history of an inequality for the spectral radius of a $d\times d$ real or complex matrix, which occurs in Jairo Bochi's 2002 article Inequalities for numerical invariants of ...
Ian Morris's user avatar
  • 6,206
13 votes
1 answer
5k views

Surprising connection between linear algebra and graph theory

What is the intuition for linear algebra being such an effective tool to resolve questions regarding graphs? For example, one can determine if a given graph is connected by computing its Laplacian ...
rnegrinho's user avatar
  • 407
13 votes
1 answer
702 views

Integer matrices with a strange divisibility property

Fix an integer $n$. What can you say about a (not necessarily square) matrix $A$ with integer entries that has the property that for any $k$, every $k\times k$ minor of $A$ is divisible by $n^{k-1}$? ...
Dror Bar-Natan's user avatar
13 votes
1 answer
962 views

Axiom(s) of choice and bases of vector spaces

I'm not sure this question is more suitable for MO or for MSE, so feel free to move it to MSE if necessary. I work here in ZF theory. Consider the following statements: $(C)$ Axiom of choice: for ...
GreginGre's user avatar
  • 1,766
13 votes
1 answer
2k views

Banach-Mazur distance between $\ell^p$-norms

Let $E^n$ be the real or complex space of dimension $n$. If $N$ and $M$ are two norms over $E^n$, and if $A$ is an endomorphism, then $$\|A\|^M_N:=\sup_{x\ne0}\frac{M(Ax)}{N(x)}$$ is an operator norm ...
Denis Serre's user avatar
  • 52.3k
13 votes
1 answer
732 views

What is the "positive part" of the unit ball in $M_n(R)$ ?

In ${\bf M}_n(\mathbb R)$, let us consider the usual operator norm $$\|A\|=\sup\frac{\|Ax\|}{\|x\|},$$ where $\|x\|$ is the Euclidian norm. The closed unit ball $B$ is the set of contractions (in the ...
Denis Serre's user avatar
  • 52.3k
13 votes
2 answers
1k views

A matrix norm inequality

Suppose that $A, B$ are Hermitian positive definite matrices of the same order and $0\le p\le 1$. Using a standard approach in matrix analysis, one can show that $\|A^{1-p}B^p\|\ge \|A\sharp_p B\|$, ...
M. Lin's user avatar
  • 1,748
13 votes
1 answer
516 views

Permanent of a matrix of odd integers

It is clear that the permanent of an $n\times n$ matrix which entries are odd integers, is an even number, as it is the sum of $n!$ odd numbers. I am interested in finding the highest power of $2$ ...
Tal H's user avatar
  • 273
13 votes
2 answers
1k views

Combinatorial proof of (a special case of) the spectral theorem?

The spectral theorem for a real $n \times n$ symmetric matrix $A$ says that $A$ is diagonalizable with all eigenvalues real. If $A$ happens to have non-negative integer entries, it can be interpreted ...
Qiaochu Yuan's user avatar
13 votes
2 answers
946 views

Computing a large permanent

Is there a practical way to compute the permanent of a large ($91 \times 91$) $(0,1)$ matrix? I have tried to use the matlab function written by Luke Winslow which works great for smaller matrices ...
Felix Goldberg's user avatar
13 votes
1 answer
592 views

Is there a straightforward generalization of min(x,y) to positive-semidefinite Hermitian matrices?

This is an open-ended question I have. Is there a function of two positive-semidefinite hermitian operators $\min(A,B)$ returning another positive-semidefinite Hermitian operator such that: If A and ...
saolof's user avatar
  • 1,947
13 votes
1 answer
311 views

Permanent of the Coxeter matrix of a distributive lattice

Let $L$ be a finite distributive lattice with $n$ elements. Let $C=(c_{x,y})$ be the $n \times n$ matrix with entry 1 in case $x \leq y$ and 0 else. The Coxeter matrix of $L$ is defined as the matrix $...
Mare's user avatar
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