Companion matrixIn linear algebra, the Frobenius companion matrix of the monic polynomial is the square matrix defined as Some authors use the transpose of this matrix, , which is more convenient for some purposes such as linear recurrence relations (see below). is defined from the coefficients of , while the characteristic polynomial as well as the minimal polynomial of are equal to . In this sense, the matrix and the polynomial are "companions". Any matrix A with entries in a field F has characteristic polynomial , which in turn has companion matrix .
Structure theorem for finitely generated modules over a principal ideal domainIn mathematics, in the field of abstract algebra, the structure theorem for finitely generated modules over a principal ideal domain is a generalization of the fundamental theorem of finitely generated abelian groups and roughly states that finitely generated modules over a principal ideal domain (PID) can be uniquely decomposed in much the same way that integers have a prime factorization. The result provides a simple framework to understand various canonical form results for square matrices over fields.
Smith normal formIn mathematics, the Smith normal form (sometimes abbreviated SNF) is a normal form that can be defined for any matrix (not necessarily square) with entries in a principal ideal domain (PID). The Smith normal form of a matrix is diagonal, and can be obtained from the original matrix by multiplying on the left and right by invertible square matrices. In particular, the integers are a PID, so one can always calculate the Smith normal form of an integer matrix.
Canonical formIn mathematics and computer science, a canonical, normal, or standard form of a mathematical object is a standard way of presenting that object as a mathematical expression. Often, it is one which provides the simplest representation of an object and allows it to be identified in a unique way. The distinction between "canonical" and "normal" forms varies from subfield to subfield. In most fields, a canonical form specifies a unique representation for every object, while a normal form simply specifies its form, without the requirement of uniqueness.
Invariant factorThe invariant factors of a module over a principal ideal domain (PID) occur in one form of the structure theorem for finitely generated modules over a principal ideal domain. If is a PID and a finitely generated -module, then for some integer and a (possibly empty) list of nonzero elements for which . The nonnegative integer is called the free rank or Betti number of the module , while are the invariant factors of and are unique up to associatedness.
Eigenvalues and eigenvectorsIn linear algebra, an eigenvector (ˈaɪgənˌvɛktər) or characteristic vector of a linear transformation is a nonzero vector that changes at most by a constant factor when that linear transformation is applied to it. The corresponding eigenvalue, often represented by , is the multiplying factor. Geometrically, a transformation matrix rotates, stretches, or shears the vectors it acts upon. The eigenvectors for a linear transformation matrix are the set of vectors that are only stretched, with no rotation or shear.
