Diagonalizing Symmetric Matrices

Synopsis: Matrices can be tedious to work with, and as the size of the matrix increases the number of entries increases even faster. However, if the matrix represents a linear transformation then it may be possible to simplify the matrix by a change of basis, and if the matrix is symmetric then a new basis can be chosen to give a diagonal matrix. Shows how the new basis consists of eigenvectors of the transformation, and the new diagonal entries of the matrix are eigenvalues. The examples chosen are 2 x 2 and 3 x 3 matrices, and the latter case indicates how the method may be generalised inductively to n x n symmetric matrices.
Series: Introduction to Pure Mathematics, Course M203
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Medium: Video; Videocassette. Standard formats. col. 24 min.
Year of production: 1978
Availability: OUT OF DISTRIBUTION
Subjects: Mathematics
Keywords: algebra; matrices

Director

Robin Wilson

Producer

David Saunders

Cast

Norman Gowar

Name: Open University Worldwide
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