Psych Educ, Document ID: 2022PEMJ0, doi: 10.5281/zenodo.

7140908, ISSN 2822-4353

Research Article

Spectral Theorem: Diagonalizable Symmetric Matrix

Noriebelle B. Balbontin*
For affiliations and correspondence, see the last page.

Abstract

In linear algebra, is the canonical forms of a linear transformation. Given a particularly nice basis
for the vector spaces in which one is working, the matrix of a linear transformation may also be
particularly nice, revealing some information about how the transformation operates on the vector
space.The spectral theorem provides a sufficient criterion for the existence of a particular canonical
form. Specifically, the spectral theorem states that if A equals the transpose of A, then A is
diagonalizable: there exists an invertible matrix B such that B-1 AB is a diagonal matrix.

Keywords: Linear Algebra, Canonical Forms, Spectral Theorem, Symmetric Matrix, Diagonalizable

Introduction

In linear algebra, is the canonical forms of a linear

transformation. Given a particularly nice basis for the
vector spaces in which one is working, the matrix of a
linear transformation may also be particularly nice,
revealing some information about how the
transformation operates on the vector space. The
spectral theorem provides a sufficient criterion for the
existence of a particular canonical form. Specifically,
the spectral theorem states that if A equals the
transpose of A, then A is diagonalizable: there exists
an invertible matrix B such that B-1 AB is a diagonal
matrix.

Preliminaries

Notations:

F denotes either R or C
V denotes a finite dimensional inner product space
over F

Note:

A diagonal matrix is a square matrix that is

everywhere except possibly along the diagonal
Symmetric matrix is a square matrix that is equal to
its transpose
A square matrix is called diagonalizable if it is
similar to a diagonal matrix, if there exists an
invertible matrix that is a diagonal matrix

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Psych Educ, Document ID: 2022PEMJ0, doi: 10.5281/zenodo.7140908, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article

Conclusion

With the supporting proofs about the Spectral

Theorem which states that any symmetric matrix is
diagonalizable. In conclusion, the Spectral Theorem
reveals that any symmetric matrix is diagonalizable
given that A matrix with entries in ℝ is called
symmetric if A= AT .

Therefore, the proof shows that when the References

eigenvalues are distinct, by simply following the
procedure in diagonalizing A and normalize each Spectral Theorem. Brilliant.org. Retrieved 14:59, August 30, 2022,
eigenvector, the resulting product is the orthogonal from http://brilliant.org/wiki/spectral-theorem/
diagonalization ofA because C1 = CT.

Affiliations and Corresponding Information

Noriebelle B. Balbontin
Iloilo State College of Fisheries - Philippines

Noriebelle B. Balbontin
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