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MCQs on Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors

1 Which of the following is true about the sum of the eigenvalues of a
matrix ?
A) It equals the determinant of 𝑨
B) It equals the trace of 𝑨
C) It equals the rank of 𝑨
D) It equals zero

2 The eigenvalues of a diagonal matrix are:

A) The diagonal elements
B) The sum of the diagonal elements
C) The product of the diagonal elements
D) None of the above

𝟏
3 If 𝝀 is an eigenvalue of a matrix 𝑨, then is an eigenvalue of which
𝝀
matrix?
A) 𝑨
B) 𝑨𝟐
C) 𝑨−𝟏
D) None of the above

4 For a triangular matrix, the eigenvalues are:

A) The trace of the matrix
B) The determinant of the matrix
 Matrices-Eigen values etc., 2

C) The diagonal elements

D) The off-diagonal elements

5 If all the eigenvalues of a matrix 𝑨 are distinct, the eigenvectors are:

A) Orthogonal
B) Linearly dependent
C) Linearly independent
D) Zero

6 The eigenvalues of a real symmetric matrix are:

A) Complex
B) Imaginary
C) Real
D) Zero
7 The eigenvalues of a skew-symmetric matrix are:
A) Real and non-zero
B) Either zero or purely imaginary
C) Complex and non-zero
D) Real and purely imaginary

𝟐 𝟏
8 The sum of the eigenvalues of the matrix 𝑨 = ( ) is:
𝟏 𝟐
A) 4
B) 3
C) 5
D) 2

𝟒 𝟎
9 The product of the eigenvalues of the matrix 𝑨 = ( ) is:
𝟎 𝟑

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 Matrices-Eigen values etc., 3

A) 12
B) 7
C) 1
D) 0

10 If 𝐗 is an eigenvector of 𝑨 with eigenvalue 𝝀, then 𝑨𝒌 𝐱 =

A) 𝒌𝝀𝐱
B) 𝝀𝒌 𝐱
C) 𝐱
D) 𝝀𝐱
Answer: B

𝟏 𝟐
11 The eigenvalues of the matrix 𝑨 = ( ) are:
𝟎 𝟑
A) 1,3
B) 2,3
C) 1,2
D) 0,3

𝟑 𝟎
12 The eigenvectors of the matrix 𝑨 = ( ) are:
𝟎 𝟒
A) (𝟏𝟎), (𝟎𝟏)
B) (𝟎𝟏), (𝟏𝟏)
C) (𝟏𝟏), (𝟏𝟎)
D) (𝟎𝟎) ⋅ (𝟏𝟏)

13 Which matrix has eigenvalues that are the roots of 𝝀𝟐 − 𝟓𝝀 + 𝟔 = 𝟎 ?

𝟐 𝟎
A) ( )
𝟎 𝟑
𝟑 𝟎
B) ( )
𝟎 𝟐

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 Matrices-Eigen values etc., 4

𝟏 𝟐
C) ( )
𝟐 𝟏
𝟐 𝟑
D) ( )
𝟏 𝟒

14 If the eigenvalues of a matrix 𝑨 are 3 and -3 , the eigenvalues of 𝑨𝟐

are:
A) 9,9
B) 𝟑, −𝟑
C) 𝟗, −𝟗
D) −𝟑, −𝟑

𝟐 𝟏
15 For the matrix 𝑨 = ( ), what are the eigenvalues?
𝟏 𝟐
A) 1,3
B) 2,2
C) 0,3
D) 3,3

16 The eigenvectors of a diagonal matrix are:

A) The columns of the identity matrix
B) The rows of the identity matrix
C) The standard basis vectors
D) The diagonal elements themselves

14 Eigenvectors can be normalized to:

A) Have unit length
B) Be zero
C) Have infinite length
D) Be parallel to each other

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15 If 𝒙 is an eigenvector of 𝑨 with eigenvalue 𝝀, then for any power

𝒌, 𝑨𝒌 𝒙 equals:
A) 𝝀 + 𝒌
B) 𝝀𝒌 𝒙
C) 𝝀𝒙
D) 𝒌𝝀𝒙
.
16 If all the eigenvalues of a matrix 𝑨 are distinct, the eigenvectors:
A) Span the entire 𝒏-dimensional space
B) Are zero
C) Are parallel to each other
D) Are linearly dependent

17 If a matrix 𝑨 does not have enough linearly independent eigenvectors

to form a basis, what is used?
A) Standard basis vectors
B) Generalized eigenvectors
C) Orthogonal vectors
D) Parallel vectors
.
𝟐 𝟏
18 The eigenvalues of the matrix ( ) are:
𝟎 𝟑
A) 2 and 3
B) 1 and 3
C) 2 and 1
D) 0 and 3

𝟎 −𝟐
19 What are the eigenvalues of the matrix ( )?
𝟐 𝟎
A) ±𝟐
B) ±𝟐𝐢
C) 2 and 0
D) -2 and ±2i.

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 Matrices-Eigen values etc., 6

𝟒 𝟎
20 The sum of the eigenvalues of the matrix ( ) is:
𝟎 𝟓
A) 9
B) 20
C) 0
D) 1

21 Given a matrix 𝑨 with eigenvalues 𝝀𝟏 , 𝝀𝟐 , … , 𝝀𝒏 , what can be inferred

if 𝝀𝒊 = 𝟎 for some 𝒊 ?
A) The matrix 𝑨 is invertible.
B) The matrix 𝑨 is not invertible.
C) The matrix 𝑨 has full rank.
D) The matrix 𝑨 is symmetric.

22 If 𝑨 and 𝑩 are similar matrices, which of the following must be true?

A) 𝑨 and 𝑩 have the same eigenvectors.
B) 𝑨 and 𝑩 have the same eigenvalues.
C) 𝑨 and 𝑩 have the same characteristic polynomial.
D) Both B and C.

23 Consider a matrix 𝑨 that has distinct eigenvalues. Which of the

following statements is true about its eigenvectors?
A) The eigenvectors form a basis for ℝ𝒏 .
B) The eigenvectors are linearly dependent.
C) The eigenvectors are always orthogonal.
D) The eigenvectors cannot be normalized.
24 If 𝑨 is an 𝒏 × 𝒏 Hermitian matrix, which of the following properties
must its eigenvectors satisfy?
A) They must be real and orthogonal.
B) They must be complex and orthogonal.
C) They must be complex and linearly independent.

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 Matrices-Eigen values etc., 7

D) They must be real and linearly dependent.

25 Which of the following is true about the eigenvalues of a skew-

Hermitian matrix?
A) They are all real numbers.
B) They are all imaginary
numbers.
C) They are all zero.
D) They can be any complex number.

26 For a real symmetric matrix 𝑨, if 𝐯 and 𝐰 are eigenvectors

corresponding to distinct eigenvalues 𝝀𝟏 and 𝝀𝟐 , what is true about 𝐯
and 𝐰 ?
A) 𝐯 and 𝐰 are parallel.
B) 𝐯 and 𝐰 are orthogonal.
C) 𝐯 and 𝐰 are linearly dependent.
D) 𝐯 and 𝐰 are equal.
27 If 𝐯 is an eigenvector of 𝑨 corresponding to the eigenvalue 𝝀, which of
the following is true for the matrix 𝑨𝑻 ?
A) 𝐯 is also an eigenvector of 𝑨𝑻 corresponding to 𝝀.
B) 𝐯 is an eigenvector of 𝑨𝑻 corresponding to 𝝀𝟐 .
C) 𝐯 is an eigenvector of 𝑨𝑻 corresponding to 𝝀−𝟏 .
D) 𝐯 is not necessarily an eigenvector of 𝑨𝑻 .

28 Which of the following statements about the characteristic

polynomial of a matrix 𝑨 is correct?
A) It always has real coefficients.
B) It has coefficients that are functions of the elements of 𝑨.
C) Its degree is equal to the rank of 𝑨.
D) It is always a linear polynomial.

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29 What can be said about the eigenvalues of a positive definite matrix?

A) All eigenvalues are positive.
B) All eigenvalues are negative.
C) All eigenvalues are zero.
D) Eigenvalues can be positive or negative.
30 If 𝑨 is an orthogonal matrix, which of the following statements is true
about its eigenvalues?
A) All eigenvalues are 1 .
B) All eigenvalues are either 1 or -1 .
C) Eigenvalues have absolute value 1.
D) Eigenvalues can be any real number.
.
31 Which of the following is true about the algebraic multiplicity and
geometric multiplicity of an eigenvalue?
A) Algebraic multiplicity is always greater than geometric
multiplicity.
B) Geometric multiplicity is always greater than algebraic
multiplicity.
C) Algebraic multiplicity is always equal to geometric multiplicity.
D) Algebraic multiplicity is always greater than or equal to geometric
multiplicity..
32 If 𝑨 is a diagonalizable matrix, which of the following must be true?
A) 𝑨 has 𝒏 linearly independent eigenvectors.
B) 𝑨 is a triangular matrix.
C) 𝑨 has distinct eigenvalues.
D) 𝑨 is a symmetric matrix..
33 Which of the following matrices is guaranteed to have an eigenvalue
equal to zero?
A) Singular matrix
B) Invertible matrix
C) Orthogonal matrix
D) Diagonal matrix.

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 Matrices-Eigen values etc., 9

34 What is true about the eigenvectors of a symmetric matrix with

repeated eigenvalues?
A) They are always orthogonal.
B) They can always be chosen to be orthogonal.
C) They are always linearly dependent.
D) They are always linearly independent..
35 If 𝑨 is a 𝟑 × 𝟑 matrix with eigenvalues 𝝀𝟏 = 𝟐, 𝝀𝟐 = −𝟏, and 𝝀𝟑 = 𝟑,
what is the determinant of 𝑨 ?
A) 4
B) -6
C) 0
D) 5
.
36 If 𝐱 is an eigenvector of 𝑨 corresponding to eigenvalue 𝝀, what can be
said about 𝐱 if 𝝀 = 𝟎 ?
A) 𝐱 is a zero vector.
B) 𝐱 is in the null space of 𝑨.
C) 𝐱 is in the column space of 𝑨.
D) 𝐱 is in the row space of 𝑨..
37 Which of the following is true for the eigenvalues of a stochastic
matrix?
A) All eigenvalues are real.
B) All eigenvalues have absolute value less than or equal to 1 .
C) All eigenvalues are positive.
D) All eigenvalues are zero.
.
38 If 𝑨 is a matrix with complex eigenvalues, which of the following
must be true about ?
A) 𝑨 is a real matrix.
B) 𝑨 is a complex matrix.
C) 𝑨 is a Hermitian matrix.
D) 𝑨 is a skew-Hermitian matrix..

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 Matrices-Eigen values etc., 10

39 If the eigenvalues of a matrix 𝑨 are all distinct, what can be inferred

about the matrix ?
A) 𝑨 is diagonalizable.
B) 𝑨 is invertible.
C) 𝑨 is symmetric.
D) 𝑨 is orthogonal..
40 Which of the following is true about the eigenvalues of a unitary
matrix?
A) They are all real numbers.
B) They are all purely imaginary numbers.
C) They all have magnitude 1.
D) They are all zero.
.
41 For a real 𝒏 × 𝒏 matrix 𝑨, which of the following is true if 𝑨 is
positive semidefinite?
A) All eigenvalues are positive.
B) All eigenvalues are non-negative.
C) All eigenvalues are negative.
D) All eigenvalues are non-positive..
42 If 𝑨 is a square matrix with eigenvalue 𝝀 = 𝟎, what is true about 𝑨 ?
A) 𝑨 is invertible.
B) 𝑨 is singular.
C) 𝑨 is diagonalizable.
D) 𝑨 is symmetric.

43 Which of the following is true about the eigenvalues of a matrix that

is both Hermitian and unitary?
A) They are all real and have absolute value 1.
B) They are all purely imaginary and have absolute value 1 .
C) They are all zero.
D) They are all one.
.

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 Matrices-Eigen values etc., 11

44 If 𝑨 is a symmetric matrix, which of the following is true about the

matrix exponential 𝒆𝑨 ?
A) The eigenvalues of 𝒆𝑨 are the exponentials of the eigenvalues of 𝑨.
B) The eigenvalues of 𝒆𝑨 are the squares of the eigenvalues of 𝑨.
C) The eigenvalues of 𝒆𝑨 are the reciprocals of the eigenvalues of 𝑨.
D) The eigenvalues of 𝒆𝑨 are the negatives of the eigenvalues of 𝑨..
45 Which of the following is true for the eigenvectors of a non-
diagonalizable matrix?
A) They are linearly dependent.
B) They form a basis for ℝ𝒏 .
C) They are orthogonal.
D) They cannot span ℝ𝒏 .

46 What does the Cayley-Hamilton theorem state about an 𝒏 × 𝒏 matrix

?
(a) It satisfies its characteristic equation.
(b) Its determinant is always zero.
(c) It has no eigenvalues.
(d) It is always diagonalizable..
𝟐 𝟏
47 For a 𝟐 × 𝟐 matrix 𝑨 = ( ), what is the characteristic polynomial
𝟏 𝟐
𝒑(𝝀) ?
(a) 𝝀𝟐 − 𝟒𝝀 + 𝟒
(b) 𝝀𝟐 − 𝟒𝝀 + 𝟑
(c) 𝝀𝟐 − 𝟑𝝀 + 𝟐
(d) 𝝀𝟐 − 𝟐𝝀 + 𝟏

48 If 𝑨 is an 𝒏 × 𝒏 matrix, what is the degree of its characteristic

polynomial?
(a) 𝒏
(b) 𝒏 − 𝟏
(c) 𝒏 + 𝟏

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(d) 𝟐𝒏

49 In the characteristic polynomial 𝒑(𝝀) = 𝐝𝐞𝐭⁡(𝑨 − 𝝀𝑰), what does 𝑰

represent?
(a) Inverse of matrix 𝑨
(b) Identity matrix
(c) Imaginary unit
(d) Eigenvalue of 𝑨
Answer
50 According to the Cayley-Hamilton theorem, if the characteristic
polynomial of a matrix 𝑨 is 𝝀𝟐 − 𝟑𝝀 + 𝟐, what equation must 𝑨
satisfy?
(a) 𝑨𝟐 − 𝟑𝑨 + 𝟐𝑰 = 𝟎
(b) 𝑨𝟐 − 𝟑𝑨 + 𝟐 = 𝟎
(c) 𝑨𝟐 + 𝟑𝑨 − 𝟐𝑰 = 𝟎
(d) 𝑨𝟐 + 𝟑𝑨 − 𝟐 = 𝟎
Answer:

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 Matrices-Eigen values etc., 13

Caylay-Hamilton theorem

𝟐 𝟑 𝟏
1. Given the matrix 𝑨 = (𝟏 𝟐 𝟏), find the characteristic
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
polynomial 𝒑(𝝀) and verify the Cayley-Hamilton theorem.

(a) 𝝀𝟑 − 𝟓𝝀𝟐 + 𝟕𝝀 − 𝟑
(b) 𝝀𝟑 − 𝟒𝝀𝟐 + 𝟓𝝀 − 𝟐
(c) 𝝀𝟑 − 𝟑𝝀𝟐 + 𝟐𝝀 − 𝟏
(d) 𝝀𝟑 − 𝟔𝝀𝟐 + 𝟏𝟏𝝀 − 𝟔
Answer:
2. Consider a 𝟑 × 𝟑 matrix 𝑨 with eigenvalues 2,3 , and 4 . Use the
Cayley-Hamilton theorem to find the matrix equation that 𝑨 satisfies.

(a) 𝑨𝟑 − 𝟗𝑨𝟐 + 𝟐𝟔𝑨 − 𝟐𝟒𝑰 = 𝟎

(b) 𝑨𝟑 − 𝟖𝑨𝟐 + 𝟏𝟗𝑨 − 𝟏𝟐𝑰 = 𝟎
(c) 𝑨𝟑 − 𝟕𝑨𝟐 + 𝟏𝟓𝑨 − 𝟏𝟎𝑰 = 𝟎
(d) 𝑨𝟑 − 𝟔𝑨𝟐 + 𝟏𝟏𝑨 − 𝟔𝑰 = 𝟎
Answer: (a) 𝑨𝟑 − 𝟗𝑨𝟐 + 𝟐𝟔𝑨 − 𝟐𝟒𝑰 = 𝟎
𝟒 𝟏
3 Given 𝑨 = ( ), find the characteristic polynomial and
−𝟐 𝟏
demonstrate the CayleyHamilton theorem.

(a) 𝝀𝟐 − 𝟓𝝀 + 𝟔
(b) 𝝀𝟐 − 𝟓𝝀 + 𝟒
(c) 𝝀𝟐 − 𝟔𝝀 + 𝟓
(d) 𝝀𝟐 − 𝟑𝝀 + 𝟐
Answer:
𝟏 𝟐 𝟑
Let 𝑨 = (𝟎 𝟒 𝟓). Verify the Cayley-Hamilton theorem for 𝑨.
𝟎 𝟎 𝟔

(a) 𝑨𝟑 − 𝟏𝟏𝑨𝟐 + 𝟑𝟒𝑨 − 𝟐𝟒𝑰 = 𝟎

(b) 𝑨𝟑 − 𝟏𝟎𝑨𝟐 + 𝟐𝟗𝑨 − 𝟐𝟎𝑰 = 𝟎

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 Matrices-Eigen values etc., 14

(c) 𝑨𝟑 − 𝟗𝑨𝟐 + 𝟐𝟕𝑨 − 𝟏𝟖𝑰 = 𝟎

(d) 𝑨𝟑 − 𝟏𝟐𝑨𝟐 + 𝟑𝟔𝑨 − 𝟐𝟕𝑰 = 𝟎
Answer:

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