Paper 1, Section I, G

Linear Algebra
Part IB, 2009

(1) Let VV be a finite-dimensional vector space and let T:VVT: V \rightarrow V be a non-zero endomorphism of VV. If ker(T)=im(T)\operatorname{ker}(T)=\operatorname{im}(T) show that the dimension of VV is an even integer. Find the minimal polynomial of TT. [You may assume the rank-nullity theorem.]

(2) Let Ai,1i3A_{i}, 1 \leqslant i \leqslant 3, be non-zero subspaces of a vector space VV with the property that

V=A1A2=A2A3=A1A3.V=A_{1} \oplus A_{2}=A_{2} \oplus A_{3}=A_{1} \oplus A_{3} .

Show that there is a 2-dimensional subspace WVW \subset V for which all the WAiW \cap A_{i} are one-dimensional.