Thread: Algebra2

Show that if A and B are any 2x2 matrices with real entries, then sqaure of
(AB-BA) is a multiple of the identity. Is the result true for nxn matrices with n not equal 2?

Thanks very much

Originally Posted by suedenation

Show that if A and B are any 2x2 matrices with real entries, then sqaure of
(AB-BA) is a multiple of the identity. Is the result true for nxn matrices with n not equal 2?

Thanks very much

There's probably a trick to doing the first part, but it CAN be done simply by brute force. I warn you: it's a depressingly long calculation.

-Dan

Originally Posted by topsquark

There's probably a trick to doing the first part, but it CAN be done simply by brute force. I warn you: it's a depressingly long calculation.

-Dan

Don't forget the RSA you will get from typing all those metrices in TeX

RonL