32. Basis of Eigenvectors
This chapter delves into eigenvectors and eigenspaces within linear algebra, particularly their applications in civil engineering. It explains how to find bases of eigenspaces and highlights the importance of eigenvalues in determining geometrical and algebraical multiplicities. Additionally, the text underscores the significance of diagonalizability and orthogonal bases in structural dynamics and analysis.
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What we have learnt
- Eigenvectors can form a basis for vector spaces associated with matrices.
- The geometric multiplicity of an eigenvalue is the dimension of its corresponding eigenspace.
- Diagonalization is feasible when a matrix has n linearly independent eigenvectors, which is crucial in various engineering applications.
Key Concepts
- -- Eigenvector
- A non-zero vector v satisfying the equation Av=λv for some scalar λ.
- -- Eigenspace
- The null space of the matrix equation (A−λI), which constitutes a vector subspace.
- -- Basis of Eigenvectors
- A set of linearly independent eigenvectors that span an eigenspace.
- -- Geometric Multiplicity
- The dimension of an eigenspace, referring to the number of linearly independent eigenvectors for a given eigenvalue.
- -- Algebraic Multiplicity
- The number of times an eigenvalue appears as a root of the characteristic polynomial.
- -- Diagonalizable
- A matrix is diagonalizable if it has n linearly independent eigenvectors.
- -- Orthonormal Basis
- A set of eigenvectors that are orthogonal and of unit length, applicable specifically to symmetric matrices.
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