Paper 3, Section II, G

Linear Algebra
Part IB, 2009

For each of the following, provide a proof or counterexample.

(1) If A,BA, B are complex n×nn \times n matrices and AB=BAA B=B A, then AA and BB have a common eigenvector.

(2) If A,BA, B are complex n×nn \times n matrices and AB=BAA B=B A, then AA and BB have a common eigenvalue.

(3) If A,BA, B are complex n×nn \times n matrices and (AB)n=0(A B)^{n}=0 then (BA)n=0(B A)^{n}=0.

(4) If T:VVT: V \rightarrow V is an endomorphism of a finite-dimensional vector space VV and λ\lambda is an eigenvalue of TT, then the dimension of {vV(TλI)v=0}\{v \in V \mid(T-\lambda I) v=0\} equals the multiplicity of λ\lambda as a root of the minimal polynomial of TT.

(5) If T:VVT: V \rightarrow V is an endomorphism of a finite-dimensional complex vector space VV, λ\lambda is an eigenvalue of TT, and Wi={vV(TλI)i(v)=0}W_{i}=\left\{v \in V \mid(T-\lambda I)^{i}(v)=0\right\}, then Wc=Wc+1W_{c}=W_{c+1} where cc is the multiplicity of λ\lambda as a root of the minimal polynomial of TT.