Solution (#1755) Let A be a square matrix such that (A − αI) (A − βI)(A − γI) = 0 where α, β, γ are distinct reals.

We then have
A3 = m2 A2 + m1 A + m0 I
where
m2 = α + β + γ, m1 = −(αβ + βγ + γα), m0 = αβγ,
in the notation of Remark 6.81(c). Say
eAt = a0 (t)I + a1 (t)A + a2 (t)A2 .
Then a2 (t) satisfies ′′′ ′
a2 (t) − (α + β + γ)a′′2 (t) + (αβ + βγ + γα)a1 (t) − αβγa1 (t) = 0,
which has auxiliary equation (m − α) (m − β) (m − γ) = 0 and so the DE has general solution
a2 (t) = Ceαt + Deβt + Eeγt .
As eAt = I when t = 0 then a0 (0) = 1, a1 (0) = a2 (0) = 0, and
a′2 (0) = a1 (0) + m2 a2 (0) = 0; a′1 (0) = a0 (0) + m1 a2 (0) = 1; a′′2 (0) = a′1 (0) + m2 a′2 (0) = 1.
So
C + D + E = 0, αC + βD + γE = 0, α2 C + β 2 D + γ 2 E = 1,
and solving these we find
1 1 1
C= , D= , E= ,
(α − β) (α − γ) (β − α) (β − γ) (γ − α) (γ − β)
and
eαt eβt eγt
a2 (t) = + + ;
(α − β) (α − γ) (β − α) (β − γ) (γ − α) (γ − β)
(β + γ)eαt (α + γ)eβt (α + β)eγt
a1 (t) = a′2 (t) − m2 a2 (t) = − − − ;
(α − β) (α − γ) (β − α) (β − γ) (γ − α) (γ − β)
βγeαt αγeβt αβeγt
a0 (t) = a′1 (t) − m1 a2 (t) = + + .
(α − β) (α − γ) (β − α) (β − γ) (γ − α) (γ − β)
Finally eAt equals
eαt (A2 − (β + γ)A + βγI) eβt (A2 − (α + γ)A + αγI) eγt (A2 − (α + β)A + αβI)
+ +
(α − β) (α − γ) (β − α) (β − γ) (γ − α) (γ − β)
αt βt γt
e (A − βI)(A − γI) e (A − αI)(A − γI) e (A − αI)(A − βI)
= + + .
(α − β) (α − γ) (β − α) (β − γ) (γ − α) (γ − β)