How does diagonalizing the California–Massachusetts migration matrix predict the exact long-run 2:1 population split — using only the trace and one eigenvector?
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The two-state migration matrix
Write the matrix with columns and , label each column as where that state's people go next year, and compute one step from .
Second eigenvalue from the trace
Take as given, use the trace to get , and find the eigenvectors and from and .
Steady state in the ratio
Fit and to , drop the term, and check that the limit still totals .