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A First Course in Linear Algebra, 2017a

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7.4. Orthogonality 425<br />

Solution. Notice that the level curve is given by q = 7forq = 6x 2 1 +4x 1x 2 +3x 2 2 . This is the same quadratic<br />

form that we exam<strong>in</strong>ed earlier <strong>in</strong> Example 7.91. Therefore we know that we can write q = ⃗x T A⃗x for the<br />

matrix<br />

[ ]<br />

6 2<br />

A =<br />

2 3<br />

Now we want to orthogonally diagonalize A to write U T AU = D for an orthogonal matrix U and<br />

diagonal matrix D. The details are left to the reader, and you can verify that the result<strong>in</strong>g matrices are<br />

⎡<br />

U =<br />

D =<br />

⎢<br />

⎣<br />

2√<br />

5<br />

− 1 √<br />

5<br />

⎤<br />

⎥<br />

1√ √5 2 ⎦<br />

5<br />

[ 7 0<br />

0 2<br />

[ ]<br />

y1<br />

Next we write⃗y = .Itfollowsthat⃗x = U⃗y.<br />

y 2<br />

We can now express the quadratic form q <strong>in</strong> terms of y, us<strong>in</strong>g the entries from D as coefficients as<br />

follows:<br />

]<br />

q = d 11 y 2 1 + d 22 y 2 2<br />

= 7y 2 1 + 2y2 2<br />

Hence the level curve can be written 7y 2 1 + 2y2 2<br />

= 7. The graph of this equation is given by:<br />

y 2<br />

y 1<br />

The change of variables results <strong>in</strong> new axes such that with respect to the new axes, the ellipse is<br />

oriented parallel to the coord<strong>in</strong>ate axes. These are called the pr<strong>in</strong>cipal axes of the quadratic form. ♠<br />

The follow<strong>in</strong>g is another example of diagonaliz<strong>in</strong>g a quadratic form.

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