1
$\begingroup$

Find the general solution:

$x'= \pmatrix{-2&-1\\2&0}x$

I got the eigenvalues to be $\lambda = -1 \pm i$.

Now finding the eigenvectors:

$(\lambda = -1 + i )= v_1 =\pmatrix{-2 -(-1 + i) &-1\\2&-(-1 + i)} =\pmatrix{2 &1-i\\2&1 -i}= \pmatrix{2 &1-i\\0&0} $

Thus the eigenvector is $v_1 = \pmatrix{1\\ -\frac{2}{1-i}}$

but the eigenvector in the solution set is $v_1 = \pmatrix{1\\ -1-i}$

how did they get that?

1 Answers 1

5

$ -\frac{2}{1-i} = -\frac{2}{1-i} \left(\frac{1+i}{1+i}\right) = - 1 - i $

  • 0
    @Matt damn you complex numbers. Thank you!2012-12-06