Characteristic polynomial

Polynomial whose roots are the eigenvalues of a matrix

In linear algebra, the characteristic polynomial of a square matrix is a polynomial which is invariant under matrix similarity and has the eigenvalues as roots. It has the determinant and the trace of the matrix among its coefficients. The characteristic polynomial of an endomorphism of a finite-dimensional vector space is the characteristic polynomial of the matrix of that endomorphism over any base. The characteristic equation, also known as the determinantal equation, is the equation obtained by equating the characteristic polynomial to zero.

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