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Answer by Carlyle for Show that if all sub vectorspace are A-invariant, A must be scaled identity matrix

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Let $(v_i)_{i\in[n]}$ be a basis for $F^n$, you have already established that for each basis vector we must have

$$Av_i =\lambda_{i}v_i $$

Our goal is simply to show that for any $i,j\in[n]$, we have $$\lambda_i=\lambda_j$$

So let $i,j\in[n]$, then consider the vector $w=v_i+v_j$, and its associated eigenvalue $\lambda_w$, note that by linearity we then have

$$Aw = \lambda_iv_i + \lambda_jv_j = \lambda_w w = \lambda_wv_i + \lambda_wv_j $$

But since each vector is uniquely expressable as a linear combination of basis vectors, this must mean that

$$\lambda_i=\lambda_j=\lambda_w$$

And since $A$ scales each basis vector $v_i$ the same, it must be a scalar multiple of the identity (this part is not tricky to show formally).

Thought process to see how one might have come to consider the vector $w$, it helps to first think as if you are doing a proof by contradiction:

If all the basis vectors weren't scaled equally, this means there are two which are scaled differently

Now you've identified two basis vectors, and you need to arrive at a contradiction, at this point you need a bit of inspiration, but its not too difficult to think it might be a good idea to add the two problematic vectors, and enforce the requirement that this vector should also scale.


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