# Thread: I need help getting started

1. ## I need help getting started

I'm trying to figure out if I need to use traits of Characteristic and/or Minimal Polynomials.

Suppose that $dim_F(V) = n$ and $\theta \epsilon Hom(V,V)$. Prove that if $ker(\theta^{n-1}) \neq ker(\theta^n)$, then $\theta$ is nilpotent, and $dim(ker(\theta^j)) = j$ for all $j \epsilon \{1, 2, ..., n\}$

I'm not looking for a solution, I simply want a head start.

2. Originally Posted by Sw0rDz
I'm trying to figure out if I need to use traits of Characteristic and/or Minimal Polynomials.

Suppose that $dim_F(V) = n$ and $\theta \epsilon Hom(V,V)$. Prove that if $ker(\theta^{n-1}) \neq ker(\theta^n)$, then $\theta$ is nilpotent, and $dim(ker(\theta^j)) = j$ for all $j \epsilon \{1, 2, ..., n\}$

I'm not looking for a solution, I simply want a head start.
For k=0,1,2,..., let $d_k = \dim\ker(\theta^k)$. Show that the given condition (which is equivalent to $d_{n-1}) implies that the sequence $(d_k)$ is strictly increasing for $k\leqslant n$. You should be able to do this directly, without needing to consider characteristic or minimal polynomials.