Technique
Matrix polynomial equations
- a square matrix
- the trace, sum of diagonal entries
- the identity matrix
A matrix satisfying a polynomial equation can be rearranged to give its inverse, its powers, or an unknown coefficient. For order two this is the Cayley-Hamilton relation.
48
questions use it
28
of them past-year
2018–2026
years it has appeared
25%
rated HARD
3
exams
Used alongside
How often each of these appears in the same solution as this one.
48 questions whose solution uses this
Every one was read individually — a question is here because its solution invokes this, not because the stem mentions it.
Every identity this chapter tests, with its own question set.
All Matrices & Determinants formulas