AS June 2024 Q3

EdexcelCurrent spec7 marksFurther Matrices

3.

In this question you must show all stages of your working.

Solutions relying on calculator technology are not acceptable.

\[\mathbf{A} = \begin{pmatrix} 3 & k \\ -5 & 2 \end{pmatrix}\]

where \(k\) is a constant.

Given that there exists a matrix \(\mathbf{P}\) such that \(\mathbf{P}^{-1}\mathbf{A}\mathbf{P}\) is a diagonal matrix where

\[\mathbf{P}^{-1}\mathbf{A}\mathbf{P} = \begin{pmatrix} 8 & 0 \\ 0 & -3 \end{pmatrix}\]
(a) show that \(k = -6\) (3)
(b) determine a suitable matrix \(\mathbf{P}\) (4)