3.5.6 A has eigenvalues λi and corresponding eigenvectors |~xi i.

Show that A−1 has the

same eigenvectors but with eigenvalues λ−1
i .

If A has eigenvalues λi and eigenvectors |~xi i, that means

A|~xi i = λi |~xi i

Multiplying both sides by A−1 on the left, we find

A−1 A|~xi i = λi A−1 |~xi i

or
|~xi i = λi A−1 |~xi i

Rewriting this as
A−1 |~xi i = λ−1
i |~
xi i

it is now obvious that A−1 has the same eigenvectors, but eigenvalues λ−1
i .

3.5.9 Two Hermitian matrices A and B have the same eigenvalues. Show that A and B are
related by a unitary similarity transformation.

Since both A and B have the same eigenvalues, they can both be diagonalized
according to
Λ = U AU † , Λ = V BV †

where Λ is the same diagonal matrix of eigenvalues. This means

U AU † = V BV † ⇒ B = V † U AU † V

If we let W = V † U , its Hermitian conjugate is W † = (V † U )† = U † V . This means

that
B = W AW † where W = V † U

and W W † = V † U U † V = I. Hence A and B are related by a unitary similarity

transformation.

3.5.30 a) Determine the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of

 
1 
 1

Note that the eigenvalues are degenerate for  = 0 but the eigenvectors are or-
thogonal for all  6= 0 and  → 0.
 We first find the eigenvalues through the secular equation
 
1 − λ  
 = (1 − λ)2 − 2 = 0
  1 − 

This is easily solved

(1 − λ)2 − 2 = 0 ⇒ (λ − 1)2 = 2 ⇒ (λ − 1) = ± (3)

Hence the two eigenvalues are λ+ = 1 +  and λ− = 1 − .

For the eigenvectors, we start with λ+ = 1 + . Substituting this into the eigen-
value problem (A − λI)|xi = 0, we find
  
−  a
=0 ⇒ (a − b) = 0 ⇒ a=b
 − b

Since the problem did not ask to normalize the eigenvectors, we can take simply
 
1
λ+ = 1 +  : |x+ i =
1

For λ− = 1 − , we obtain instead

  
  a
=0 ⇒ (a + b) = 0 ⇒ a = −b
  b

This gives  
1
λ− = 1 −  : |x− i =
−1

Note that the eigenvectors |x+ i and |x− i are orthogonal and independent of . In
a way, we are just lucky that they are independent of  (they did not have to turn
out that way). However, orthogonality is guaranteed so long as the eigenvalues
are distinct (ie  6= 0). This was something we proved in class.

b) Determine the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of

 
1 1
2 1

Note that the eigenvalues are degenerate for  = 0 and for this (nonsymmetric)
matrix the eigenvectors ( = 0) do not span the space.
 In this nonsymmetric case, the secular equation is
 
1 − λ 1 
 2 = (1 − λ)2 − 2 = 0
  1 − λ

Interestingly enough, this equation is the same as (3), even though the matrix is
different. Hence this matrix has the same eigenvalues λ+ = 1 +  and λ− = 1 − .
For λ+ = 1 + , the eigenvector equation is
  
− 1 a
=0 ⇒ −a + b = 0 ⇒ b = a
2 − b
Up to normalization, this gives
 
1
λ+ = 1 +  : |x+ i = (4)

For the other eigenvalue, λ− = 1 − , we find
  
 1 a
2 =0 ⇒ a + b = 0 ⇒ b = −a
  b
Hence, we obtain  
1
λ− = 1 −  : |x− i = (5)
−
In this nonsymmetric case, the eigenvectors do depend on . And furthermore,  
1
when  = 0 it is easy to see that both eigenvectors degenerate into the same .
0

c) Find the cosine of the angle between the two eigenvectors as a function of  for
0 ≤  ≤ 1.

For the eigenvectors of part a), they are orthogonal, so the angle is 90◦ . Thus
this part really refers to the eigenvectors of part b). Recalling that the angle can
be defined through the inner product, we have
hx+ |x− i = |x+ | |x− | cos θ

or
hx+ |x− i
cos θ =
hx+ |x+ i1/2 hx− |x− i1/2
Using the eigenvectors of (4) and (5), we find
1 − 2 1 − 2
cos θ = √ √ =
1 + 2 1 + 2 1 + 2
Recall that the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality guarantees that cos θ lies between −1
and +1. When  = 0 we find cos θ = 1, so the eigenvectors are collinear (and
degenerate), while for  = 1, we find instead cos θ = 0, so the eigenvectors are
orthogonal.