(i) Let u,v be unit vectors in R3. Write the transformation on vectors x∈R3
x↦(u⋅x)u+v×x
in matrix form as x↦Ax for a matrix A. Find the eigenvalues in the two cases (a) when u⋅v=0, and (b) when u,v are parallel.
(ii) Let M be the set of 2×2 complex hermitian matrices with trace zero. Show that if A∈M there is a unique vector x∈R3 such that
A=R(x)=(x3x1+ix2x1−ix2−x3)
Show that if U is a 2×2 unitary matrix, the transformation
A↦U−1AU
maps M to M, and that if U−1R(x)U=R(y), then ∥x∥=∥y∥ where ∥⋅∥ means ordinary Euclidean length. [Hint: Consider determinants.]